Ms. Jamie Ball, a Fifth Grade teacher at Grandview Elementary in El Dorado, is the winner of the “Back to School Teacher Survival Gift Basket.”
She won the gift basket through an online nomination and voting process that doubled as a scholarship fundraiser for the Miss Kansas Scholarship Foundation.
Sierra Marie Bonn, is Miss Southwest and a candidate for the job of Miss Kansas. She conceived of the fundraiser as a way to recognize and honor teachers during a unique and stressful time.
“Our teachers are heading into a brand new school year, and I wanted to find a way to show them love and support,” Bonn said.
The Back To School Survival Basket is valued at $100. All funds raised benefit the Miss Kansas Summer Scholarship Campaign.
Ball is currently a Fifth Grade teacher at Grandview Elementary in El Dorado, and has been teaching for a total of nine years with two of those years as a Fourth Grade teacher. She previously taught at Skelly Elementary.
One of her favorite aspects of her job is serving as a sponsor for the Ambassador Living as Leaders (A.L.L.) program at Grandview.
Student leaders have to opportunity to participate in extracurricular community service projects
community service projects like picking up trash at local parks.
Upon accepting the basket, Ball said “I appreciate it and all the votes. It’s very humbling and very appreciated.”
The Butler County Historical Society and Kansas Oil Museum wants Butler County residents to become part of the traveling Smithsonian/Humanities Kansas exhibit “Rural Crossroads: The Changing Faces and Places of Butler County”.
By contributing to this exhibit citizens can help tell the story of Butler County. Two areas of specific interest are Butler County towns and Farms & Ranches that are no longer in existence.
Crossroads: Change in Rural America
In 1900, about 40% of Americans lived in rural areas, By 2010, less than 18% of the U.S. population lived in rural areas. In just over a century, massive economic and social changes moved millions of Americans into urban areas. Yet, only 10% of the U.S. landmass is considered urban.
Many Americans consider rural communities to be endangered and hanging on by a thread—suffering from brain drain, inadequate schools, and a barren, overused landscape. Why should revitalizing the rural places left behind matter to those who remain, those who left, and those who will come in the future? Because there is much more to the story of rural America.
“Crossroads: Change in Rural America” is a traveling Smithsonian exhibition and is part of the Museum on Main Street (MoMS) collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and state humanities councils nationwide.
The exhibit offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred.
Here is how you can be a part of this exhibit:
Search through your photos for any images of Butler County’s past (1850’s – present). Topics include, but are not limited to: specific & identifiable buildings; streets; roads; places; events; activities; etc.
Replicate that scene or take a current photo of the same topic.
Haberlein’s at Central and Main in 1955Specs in 2020, formerly Haberlein’s.
Scan the photos & download the photo release form that can be found on the Kansas Oil Museum’s website.
Email the photo(s) and the completed photo release form to director@kansasoilmuseum.org. Please include any pertinent information you have regarding the photo, such as location, when it was taken, individuals in the photo and who took the photo.
Photos must be submitted by July 31, 2020
All photos, old and new, must be of Butler County people, places, activities, or events.
While no monetary compensation will be given for the scans of these photos, the museum will acknowledge the proper parties based on information provided in signed permission forms.
Release forms, as well as additional information, can be found by visiting kansasoilmuseum.org and clicking on the “Rural Crossroads” tab.
Sierra Marie Bonn, founder of the social initiative, “Let’s Go Full STEAM Ahead!” appeared before both the El Dorado City Commission and the Butler County Board of County Commissioners to inform them of her work on curating resources, in one location, for the homeless population as well as people and organizations interested in helping to address the issues surrounding homelessness.
Sierra Marie Bonn speaking before the Butler Board of County Commissioners to share her initiative “Let’s Go Full STEAM Ahead!” and website www.homelessknowmore.com
Her initiative advocates for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) education equity.
According to Bonn, “Technology analysts have estimated that there are over one million tech jobs going unfilled in the United States, this year. In order to encourage more people to enter the innovation workforce, we need to address the root causes and the barriers to entry, which include basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter.”
Sierra Marie Bonn speaking before the El Dorado City Commission to share her initiative “Let’s Go Full STEAM Ahead!” and website http://www.homelessknowmore.com
Bonn said, “For students to succeed in education, the need to be able to focus on education — not worrying about where they can sleep safely at night.”
“Homelessness is not a problem that can be solved by one person or one conversation. There are many individuals and organizations who are independently working to address both homelessness and the issues adjacent. By compiling information, we can build a compendium of resources — for those looking to receive resources, and for those looking to provide them,” she said.
To that end, Bonn has created www.HomelessKnowMore.com to be the central mode of curating that information. On the website, there is a form for community members and organizations to share their knowledge of resources currently available. This information will be compiled into a database for local governments, legislators, and people interested in addressing homelessness in their communities.
She requested the Commissioner’s assistance to help spread awareness of this website http://www.homelessknowmore.com and to encourage others to share their knowledge of resources available.
National Wreaths Across America Day is Saturday, December 14, 2019, this year.
Wreaths Across America coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at more than 1,600 locations across the United States, at sea and abroad. The ceremonies In El Dorado will beginat 12:00p.m.
Debbie Kellogg, left, Wreaths Across America founder, Morrill Worcester, center, and DeLane Kellogg, right.
The Kellogg’s pick up the wreaths from the Walmart Distribution Center in Ottawa. They will be delivering wreaths, along with their daughter, to the three El Dorado cemeteries, Sunset Lawns Cemetery, Walnut Valley Cemetery and Belle Vista Cemetery on Saturday.
Members and volunteers from the Captain Edgar Dale American Legion Post 82 and Auxiliary Unit 81 in El Dorado will be on hand to help lay wreaths.
According to Debbie Kellogg, there are currently 108 wreaths to be laid, this year.
While fans of the PBS drama “Downton Abbey” prepare for its big screen debut and the arrival of the Queen, another type of queen has arrived on campus, with much less fanfare. The newly crowned Miss Frontier, Naomi Galindo, has also gained a new title – Butler Grizzly.
Miss Frontier 2019 Naomi Galindo appeared before the City Commission to promote the HollyFrontier Western Celebration as one of her first duties. Photo by Deanna Bonn
Galindo began classes this fall at Butler and aims to eventually earn a Ph.D. in Linguistics. She currently speaks three languages, French, English and Spanish and has started learning Russian this semester.
“I’m planning to attend KU and major in Russian/East European/Central Asian studies with a minor in political science ,” Galindo said.
While you may think it’s her crown and sash that set her apart from the average student, it’s actually her social initiative and personal passion of promoting Foreign Language Education for Grades K-12.
Miss Frontier 2019 Naomi Galindo. Photo by Jennifer West
As Miss Frontier, Galindo will have many opportunities to share her platform and help raise awareness for the importance of Foreign Language Education for students from kindergarten through high school.
The Miss Frontier pageant is a part of the HollyFrontier Western Celebration and is held annually in El Dorado. The young woman crowned each year serves an ambassador to the celebration and they go on to represent the community through a variety of volunteer opportunities and appearances.
Galindo said, “I’m a huge fan of Miss Universe and so I found out that we had a local pageant and I decided to compete.”
Many young women participate in pageants as a way to help pay for school. Many pageant systems provide scholarship money or partner with colleges to provide in-kind scholarships. Through her participation in pageants, Galindo has started college debt-free and plans to continue competing to earn more scholarships. She previously held the titles of Miss Teen Frontier 2017 and Miss Teen El Dorado 2018.
Galindo said, “I would like to promote my platform, keep developing myself and my platform. I would also like to compete in the Miss Kansas pageant.” As a result of winning the title of Miss Frontier, Galindo has the opportunity to participate in the Miss Kansas Competition. The Miss Kansas Competition is a part of the Miss America Organization and participation in that program opens the doors to even more scholarships.
According to the Miss America Organization, “The Miss America Organization is one of the nation’s largest providers of scholarship assistance to young women.”
The Miss Kansas Scholarship Program is for young women age 17-25 years old.
According to the Miss Kansas Organization, through their participation in the program, young women earn more than scholarship awards for college. They gain community service experience as well as experience in speaking extemporaneously.
They learn to formulate and present their views on important issues. They grow in grace while improving social skills. They learn to set goals and work toward physical fitness and they learn to build a network while meeting new people with confidence and security.
The young women who participate in the Miss Kansas Scholarship Program gain experience in planning and time management as well as developing a performance talent. Galindo’s talent is singing and she performed a song in Croatian at Miss Frontier.
Galindo’s reign will be marked by a year of service. In addition to multiple opportunities to volunteer, she will advocate for a personal platform, also known as a social initiative. A social initiative is a project developed by the individual and acts as catalysts for positive social change.
Galindo’s social initiative is promoting Foreign Language Education for Grades K-12. Additionally, Galindo wants to encourage other young women to compete for scholarships.
“This year I’m working on recruiting girls for the Miss and Teen Division to get them involved with the pageant. There are a lot of opportunities such as winning a scholarship, gaining confidence and developing friendships,” Galindo said.
While the next Miss Kansas Competition is not until June 2020, Galindo will be busy with her classes at Butler Community College and her royal duties as Miss Frontier.
Deanna Bonn 
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