February 12, 2020 Issue, Page 1 of 14

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Wednesday, February 12, 2020 Researcher brings message, Sheriff's office deputy announces idea of hope to Elk City run for sheriff By Don Munsch, Editor cine and Pediatrics for the OU College of Medicine and De- Chan Hellman puts great partment of Health Promotion Sciences for the OU College By Don Munsch, Editor stock into the idea of hope of Public Health, his website stated. Beckham County Sher- helping people lead better EIk City Public Schools Superintendent Rick Garrison ex- iff’s Office K9 Deputy lives. plained why Hellman was sought to speak here. resident Wes Henry has an- Hellman, a University of “One of the goals of the Project Aware Grant our school nounced his candidacy for Oklahoma-Tulsa researcher, received is to develop family mental health awareness and Beckham County Sheriff. will be in Elk City Feb. 25 community outreach,” Garrison said in an email. “We want Henry said in a news to deliver three presenta- to increase awareness of the resources and educate our com- release on Friday that tions on The Power of Hope munity and students to understand we all have an active role he recently bought some at the Kelli O’Hara Center in creating a better future. Dr. Hellman is one of the leaders property in the Sweetwa- of Performing Arts. Those Chan Hellman in our state and nation on how to use the science and power ter area, where he lives presentations will be done at of hope as a tool for those who are experiencing trauma and with wife Bekah and has 8:45 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. adversity. It’s a timely message for all of us. This is not just Wes Henry two children: Ava, a high The first session is aimed for school leaders, the second ses- a feel good message. Dr, Hellman will be giving concrete school junior, and Jude, a interventions to change people’s lives.” fifth-grader, both of whom attend Sayre schools. sion is for community drivers and the last is aimed at family Elk City Public Schools partnered with Great Plains Re- In the news release, Henry gave a rundown of his work and friends in the community, but each session is open to gional Medical Center in this endeavor. the public. background. During his 16-year law enforcement career, “As acommunity we have come to terms with the fact that Athis presentation, Hellman told The News that he will in- Henry, who will run for sheriff as a Republican, said he our students are not going to reach their full potential unless troduce the science and power of hope and promote thinking has been trained in undercover narcotics investigation, we address their social and emotional health,” Garrison said. sexual assaults, crime scene processing, criminal interdic- about hope as sort of an “organizing framework by which to “As an educational community we have to teach hope and tion (narcotics, human trafficking, etc.) traffic stops and both respond to trauma as well as develop structures or like resilience with the same vigor as reading and math.” white-collar crimes. He also said he has criminal trial ex- an organizational culture that is helping schools respond to Hellman has been doing research on hope in the context perience. adversity and stress experiences by both students as well as of child maltreatment, domestic violence, homelessness and faculty and staff.” In 1995, while working for the UPS Hub loading plant poverty for about the last 10 years, and what researchers in Louisville, Kentucky, he began attending Jefferson Hellman is a professor in the Anne & Henry Zarrow have learned is that hope in the best predictor of well-being Community College to study wildlife management & School of Social Work and Founding Director of the Center and that hope can be increased and learned both in children fisheries ecology. After graduating with an Associate’s of Applied Research for Nonprofit Organizations. He is also and adults. Degree in science, he became a crew supervisor for the an Adjunct Professor in the Departments of Internal Medi- See Researcher page 2. State of Washington Fish & Game Department at the Is- saquah Fish Hatchery marking Coho and Chinook salm- Merritt students find ways to helps on. During this time, he was also employed as an evening assistant manager for the Big 5 Sporting Goods Store in Bellview, Washington. others in Passion Project class He moved to Guthrie in 2001 and began commuting to See Sheriffpage 2. Students in the Passion Proj- ect class are , seated left State arts organization to right, Sierra Graham and Xander Moore. Middle row, looks for input on left to right, Rosalyn King, Mia Shepard, Kenya Sanchez, strategic plan Chris Zerbe, Mason Mong, Mos Flowers, Kayde Herndon, Pey- tyn Broadbent and Madison OKLAHOMA CITY -— Staff members of the Oklahoma Robinson. Back row are Ad- Arts Council, the official state agency for the support and development of the arts, will be in Weatherford Thursday as dison Hartman, Isabell Nodal, Joshua Sayre, James Wheeler, part of a tour to solicit input on the Arts Council’s strategic Chris Cossey, Raydon Cordell, plan. An Oklahoma Arts Council Cornerstone Conversations Dilpreet Singh, Corbin Vidau- tour stop will be from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Weatherford Pub- rri and Caden Smith. Photo by lic Library, 219 E. Franklin. The tour is part of the agency’s Manda Smith. efforts to learn how the arts can meet needs across the state, By Manda Smith, Contributing writer Xander Moore Sports Drive. Xander hopes that he can col- according to an Arts Council release. Community feedback Xander Moore, a student at Merritt school since pre-kin- lect enough equipment to benefit not just kids at Merritt will inform the creation of the Oklahoma Arts Council five- dergarten, loves playing baseball. schools, but the surrounding area schools as well. year strategic plan. When tasked with creating a community outreach pro- “T’'ll donate the equipment to various schools in and around The Arts Council is encouraging participation by any gram as part of his eighth grade Passion Project class at Elk City, and the kids can go to their coach and say, ‘hey I Oklahoman who has “ideas for using the arts to strengthen Merritt, he quickly came up with the idea for a sports equip- want to play sports, but I don’t have anything,” he said. communities and schools,” the release said. ment drive. “Then we can give them a glove, and a ball, or something. “Our purpose in going out and spending time with people “T’ve seen kids that want to play sports, but they can’t I just wanted to do something good for the community, and is to make sure we hear from Oklahomans representing all because their family doesn’t have a lot of money for equip- that could help kids at any school.” communities,” Oklahoma Arts Council Executive Director ment,” Xander said. Xander’s sports drive is one of many exciting and positive Amber Sharples said in the release. “Designed as an inclu- Xander wants every kid to be able to play sports, knowing programs coming out of Stacie Skelton’s Passion Project sive process, these conversations will be the cornerstone of that for some, sports is their only outlet. class this semester. a plan for leveraging the arts to make Oklahoma a top 10 “If you're in a bad household, that’s something where you One group is busy learning to crochet, in which they can state.” can get away,” he said. “Sports help you get away.” crochet mats for homeless people to sleep on. They are hop- Each Cornerstone Conversations session is co-facilitated He and his family have donated some equipment of their ing to make connections with churches in Oklahoma City, with local residents. Activities include individual exercises own, and someone anonymously gave a new basketball. where the homeless population is more prevalent than in our and small group discussion in addition to the opportunity to Xander is in talks with Walmart and Hibbett Sports for rural area. The mats, made out of strips of plastic grocery provide written feedback. Sessions close with a 30-minute gift card donations and has made contact with many local bags, are lightweight and easier to keep dry and clean than networking break that will include light refreshments. churches to see if they would allow him to place donation cloth mats. Seating for each session may be limited. There is no cost boxes at their premises. He is also asking the community “We just started learning to crochet, and it’s difficult, but to attend, but reservations are requested for planning pur- for donations of new or gently used sports equipment of any we want to try and make as many as we can to help as many poses. kind. people as we can,” Raydon Cordell said. Accommodations may be provided for individuals with Students at Merritt can place donations at boxes across If people have any extra plastic grocery bags lying around, specific needs who are interested in participating in a lis campus or at the Merritt High School front office for the See Passion Project page 2. See Plan page 2. LONE Weather tomorrow o 37/ Vol. 118, No. 12 75 cents, 14 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 View online elkcityoknews.com