Elevate Learning, Not Just Test Scores

For the Children Oklahoma has consistently lingered toward the bottom of state rankings when it comes to reading comprehension with elementary-aged students.

An international soap opera

We are living one of the story lines from an old soap opera right here in Payne County.Some of you may not remember the shows I am talking about but some of you will. TV shows like All My Children, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, As the World Turns and more played on all of the major networks.

Empty chairs

I remember going to Veterans Day programs all throughout my school years. The smell of the recently waxed gym floor wafting in the air, the faint hum of the archaic sound system ringing in your ears, and the hush that fell over the crowd as the first notes of the National Anthem came to a crescendo.

A couple of things I’ve learned this WALKTOBER…

1. I do not have to circle around Walmart parking lot in search of the parking spot nearest the entrance.2. I love math… Well, this is NOT something I learned this October. I have always known it… I like to count.

Adventures with Allie

You’ve probably seen them a hundred times before… those small-print boxes near the back of The Cushing Citizen. They don’t shout for attention the way the front page does. They don’t come with colorful photos or large, bold headlines.

Friday night believers

Yep, that’s them. Your probably wondering what they’re doing there, District Champs, number four in the state. Here’s the situation… the Tigers are better than anyone dared to expect.

Adventures with Allie

When the great bells of Notre-Dame de Paris rang out this October, their sound carried something different, something tender. For the first time in years, they weren’t marking a mass or memorial, but a wedding. And not just any wedding.

Houseplant Care in the Winter

Home Grown As days grow shorter and temperatures start getting cooler, our houseplants may start to show signs of stress, like us humans. Changes in light, humidity, and indoor heating can all affect plant health. Here are a few tips to help your indoor plants thrive through winter.

Food Assistance and Health Coverage Key Factors During Government Shutdown

For the Children I want to start by saying “thank you” to the governor and Oklahoma’s legislative leaders for the commitment to allocate $1 million in state funds per week over the next seven weeks to the two major food banks to assist with food distribution during the suspension of SNAP benefits.

Swings and fences

I grew up in a small town which correlated to a small school. In school we had one playground for grades two through six. The playground was broken into three sections separated by gates and tall chainlink fences like a patchwork of territories.