May 24, 2019 Issue, Page 1 of 14

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Your News Everywhere. Subscribe Online to The Elk City News _ Visit www.elkcityoknews.com News WEEKEND Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 EDITION Friday, May 24, 2019 ECHS Extra! Extra! By Don Munsch Read all about us Editor Editor's note: Today’s edition of The Elk City News has been mailed to every home in Elk City as an effort to rein- Besides being a longtime troduce the paper to the community and announce a couple science teacher at Elk City of staff changes made earlier in the spring. To subscribe to High School, Roger Shockey the paper, please call 580-225-3000 or access www.elkci- also has a talent for the tyoknews.com. performing arts, as he can The Elk City News welcomed two editorial-side staffers in March: Editor Don Munsch and Sports Editor William B. sing and act and has starred Carroll. in high school musicals, in- ‘Munsch has worked in various capacities in newspapers cluding “The Wizard of Oz,” across Texas, with his last job being an assistant editor at “Phantom of the Opera” ‘The Pilot Point Post-Signal, a weekly paper whose origins and “Oklahoma!” He also date to 1878 and is Denton County’s oldest continuously loves the band Journey, a published newspaper. former student said. Several ‘An Arlington, Texas, native, Munsch worked at mid- people, including colleagues sized dailies ~ Amarillo Globe-News, Odessa American and and students, attended a Killeen Daily Herald— and some small dailies and a twice- recent retirement party for weekly paper. He has covered a number ofbeats, including education, government, health care, police, sports, religion Shockey. and entertainment. Here are some insights He is a graduate of Northwest Missouri State University. they shared about Shockey: Anative ofPearl, Miss., Carroll comes to the Elk City ECHS Principal Jeff News after working at the Jonesboro Sun in Jonesboro, Ark. Lewallen: “He has very He received his bachelor’s degree in history and political high expectations for the science from Belhaven College in Jackson, Miss., and his law students. His class structure degree from Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Ind. He and teaching methods are made a career change when he entered the newspaper field. very effective; they haven't He practiced law for 10 years in Kingman, Ariz. changed very much since I Roger Shockey, left, Elk City High School science teacher, holds a Lollipop Guild shirt He was a stringer, or a freelance writer, for some papers from “The Wizard of Oz” while he talks with well-wishers Jeanna Casebeer, center, and in the Jackson, Mississippi, area. His first “real” newspaper had him in class.” job, he said, was in 2012 in Hammond, La., where he wrote Kelci Werner, right, and Jessica Casebeer, in front of Jeanna Casebeer, at a retirement Lewallen said when he party for Shockey at ECHS. Staff photo by Don Munsch. for The Daily Star, where he covered city government and watches Shockey’s class business. He has worked for some other newspapers since lectures now, he notes they then, including some papers in northwestern Oklahoma have not changed since the By Don Munsch and listened and tried to “Pve had people say, ‘How before he went to Jonesboro, where he covered cops, courts days he had his class. His Editor absorb as much of that good can you teach the same stuff and crime. expectations are still “off the information as I could.” for all these years?” he said. Please turn to page 14 to read about the paper’s philoso- charts,” his classroom man- You can Jearn much from Shockey has been able to “Well, part of itis I'm still try- phy on covering sports. agement is “outstanding,” observing people, and Roger tell Thompson how much ing to stay current on all the his presence influenced him. new things coming down the Elementary his knowledge of the subject Shockey learned something is “second to none” and he about his profession during Breeze died years ago, and pike. And part of iti, it’s not does an extraordinary job lunch periods years ago. Shockey was never able even the same subject three challenging his students to Shockey, a science teacher to talk with him about his hours in a row, because it’s a visits Ackley think critically, Lewallen at Elk City High School who is influence. Shuck moved off whole different bunch ofkids said. retiring this year, looks at the tonorthern Oklahoma and that comes in the room. What Elk City Public Schools example of Jerry Thompson, Shockey said he has not seen Istart out with in my head as Superintendent Rick Gar- Max Shuck and Leo Breeze him in years. to what I’m going to lecture rison: “From the moment from early in his career. “Those three guys helped on today may not come out he stepped foot in Elk City “They were kind of like me a lot, even though they the same for three classes Public Schools, he’s made a mentors to me whenI first probably didn’t realize they during the same day.” difference. Bottom line, you started teaching. And I were helping,” Shockey said. Students can ask a question just don’t replace people like learned so much from them, “And it has been kind ofan that will lead down another that. You just try to do the not with them directly telling interesting path, to go from path, for example, and he will best you can. His expertise, me stuff -‘OK, remember the youngest on the high have to find his way back to dedication and profession- this.’ But just listening to school faculty to the oldest on his main discussion point. alism are unmatched, and them talk and observing the high school faculty. And “T think that’s part of the he'll be sorely missed.” their behavior. And kind you hope that maybe in some challenge and part of what Elk City United Super- oftrying to pattern myself way Ihave been helpful to keeps me interested in doing market pharmacist Tara after [them]. They were very other teachers that have come that: It’s never a dull mo- Price: “He definitely had an conscientious men. They took into and been through this ment and it’s never the same impact on my career choice their job seriously. They had system.” thing,” he said. because of the way he really to have a sense of humor, ‘Never a dull moment’ Western Oklahoma roots inspired a love of science. So and you have to have that in Shockey decided last sum- Born in Elk City, Shockey Treally enjoyed taking his education or you will die,” mer he would retire, and lived in Cheyenne until third class and I really enjoyed Shockey said, chuckling. said he will miss the class- grade and then moved to science from taking his ‘Thompson was a counselor room and students the most. Hammon and graduated from class. My first year at OU, in when he first came to ECHS, He taught at Elk City High Hammon High School. He my gen chem I class, I was but he was previously a sci- School for 36 years. When attended Southwestern Okla- alittle ahead of the rest of ence teacher. Breeze was a he retired, he taught pre-AP homa State University and my classmates because of math teacher. Shuck was a biology, pre-AP chemistry, majored in natural sciences. Elk City Elementary School students Kami McClure, what I had learned in Mr. coach and a business teacher. AP chemistry and biology I. “The day of graduation left, and Hadley Williams play at Ackley Williams one Shockey’s [AP chem] class, “We ate lunch together at During his time at the school, from college I got the call day last week. The last day of school was Wednesday the cafeteria for probably 10 he also taught anatomy and from Elk City that offered me for Elk City students. Staff photo by Don Munsch. See Shockey page 2. years, every day,” Shockey physiology, zoology and the job here,” he said. said, “And I mostly just sat botany. See Retiring page 2. Car seat safety I-40 and Highway 6 checks provided bridge construction By Don Munsch Sawyer, resident manager _ previously reported. The ing east and reaching a ramp Editor ofthe Clinton Construction Oklahoma Transportation that will take the motorist to Residency office of ODOT, in Commission approved the 1-40, thus never requiring the Travelers on Highway6 _therelease. Elk City project along witha motorist to have to deal with in Elk City will begin using Sawyer told The Elk City _ bridge project on I-40Busi- oncoming traffic. Motorists one side of the Interstate 40 News last week that the ness in Sayre. The project wanting toturaright tose: bridge beginning Tuesday northbound side will be done completion date for the Elk cess 1-40, whether they are Z as work- will begin on: the first and traffic will move ’ City : DDI is May 2020, Sawyer 0 east or west, bypass the L going : renovation of the bridge for along the southbound side. said. signal lights on the bridge. Safe Kids Oklahoma did a car seat safety project anew diverging diamond “This will be a full-scale The new interchange "The interchange eecommo- | Wednesday at the Elk City Fire Department during interchange, the Oklahoma —_—_ demolition job,” Sawyer said. _ seeks to make traffic go more amd National EMS Week, as part of a Child Safety Day. Jo Department of Transporta- The demolition will be from smoothly. Inthe DDI, for in- _4ates motorists who wanto Miller,a volunteer, helped Josie Taraco of Elk Citry and tion stated in anews release. © May 30-June7andbedone __stance,avvehicle going south Simply travelnorth and south | her daughter Briseida Taraco, 4, with Briseida's car “This project will move at night, with trafficon I-40 on Highway 6 that wants to go 0” 6 and do not wish to turn. seat during their visit. The service was free, andthe two way traffic to one bridge —_ diverted to ramps. east on I-40 will merge tothe For adetailed description project sought, among other measures, to ensure that either on SH-6 Northbound or The project willcost $16 _—left ane after going through _—_and to watch a video, access the car seats were installed properly, that children Southbound while the other million andis partofa$28 © —thesignallight and then go _https://www.ok.gov/odot and | were strapped in or buckled properly and that children [half] of the new bridge is million contract approved by across the bridge onthe left- _type in Diverging Diamond adhered to correct height and weight measurements being constructed,” saidDax ODOT, The Elk City News hand side of the road, travel- _ Interchange under search. relative to their seats. Staff photo by Don Munsch. il Il Ill HUAI Weather ak 80 / Vol. 117,No.42 Home delivery View online « ere (tase » tomorrow 75 cents, 14 pgs. 580.225.3000 ecdailynewsonline.com