The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes in Fort Scott is organizing the encouragement of the Ukrainian refugees in Poland through letters.
At the center, 1 S. Main, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday, March 19 there will be letter-writing stations set up for both adults and children to write letters of support that will be taken to refugees being harbored in Poland.
“Marzanna Pogorzelska, who was an Irena Sendler Outstanding Teacher about 10 years ago, is in charge of this in Poland,” Executive Director Norm Conard said. The whole Pogorzelska family has taken time off of their jobs to help with the refugees, he said.
Ronda Hassig is in charge of the event in Fort Scott on March 19.
Ronda Hassig. Taken from the Lowell Milken Center Facebook page.
The following is from an email from Pogorzelska to Conard.
“We have been experiencing a horrible time,” Marzanna Pogorzelska, Lowell Milken Center in Europe (Poland) said.
“The war in the Ukraine reminds us of the times we thought would never come back. Polish society is now one big network of support for our Ukrainian brothers and sisters.
In this network there are thousands of organizations and people, but I think that one person with her network of supporters is missing now and here.
I can only imagine Her, Irena Sendler, these days. Finding safe places for Ukrainians mothers. Organizing cars to take them from the border to somebody’s house. Collecting food for small babies. Making sure the sick ones get necessary medicine….And many, many other things.
I also imagine Her determination and anger which she could always change in true care and support in her own, incredible way.”
To learn more about Irena Sendler, view this prior publication:
Fort Scott City Commissioner Pete Allen resigned at the March 15 city meeting.
On March 16, during a special meeting at city hall, the rest of the commissioners voted to accept his resignation, except for Mayor Kevin Allen.
In an interview with fortscott.biz, Allen said “I’m done. Mission accomplished. I am 82 years old and I have other things I want to do.”
“I feel like I’ve given it my all…I worked tirelessly seven days a week since I was elected,” he said.
Allen took office in January 2020 and because he was the leader in the amount of votes he received, he won a four-year term, he said. His term ends in January 2024.
“We’ve accomplished a lot,” he said. “I’m not taking credit for all the things we got done, it takes at least three people on the commission. I was part of a team.”
At the regular city meeting on March 15, Allen said he “wasn’t happy with the reception I got….they didn’t want to work with me on a policy on how we use our funds.”
Allen listed all of the commission’s accomplishments on his Facebook page:
“I feel during the past 2 ¼ years we have made tremendous strides toward the movement of the improvement of our infrastructure.
We have hired an engineering firm and just think, we have more than doubled the funding for our streets as well as our sewers.
We have stopped the transferring of funds from our sewer utilities, and we now have sanitary sewer projects and a storm sewer project either under contract or awaiting contracts.
We also have three water line extension/replacements in the design stage with applications for grants being applied for.
We have undertaken the puzzle of the KDOT Connecting Link Agreement and stopped the proposed mill and overlay on Highway 54 (Wall Street) that was to be done fully at the city taxpayer’s expense under the previous administration. We are in the process of applying for a grant from KDOT that will fund that program at a 90/10 split, thereby saving the taxpayer’s nearly $160,000.
We have replaced a $200,000 per year out-of-town city attorney with a $48,000 local attorney, thereby saving the taxpayer’s another $152,000.
We have placed our insurance coverage through a local agency, keeping those funds in town.
A few short years ago we had to borrow $600,000 (each year over 4 years) to fund our street department and the budget this year is nearly $2 million, including the paying back of some of those funds we borrowed ($194,000). And these funds have come with no additional taxes.
We have done this and more, and we have not cut any “quality of life” funding. In fact, we have increased our parks budget by around $62,000. Our golf course is well on the way to becoming self-funded.
We have raised nearly $500,000 through the sale of lake lots (thanks to Mayor Allen’s expertise and guidance). Those funds are dedicated to improvements at the lake. More lots are scheduled to be sold soon with fund usage to be determined.
When I became a commissioner our street department consisted of two workers. Through the efforts of our newly hired human resources director, we now have three crews of three workers each, all being funded within the budget for 2022.
For our sewers, we have funded a new cleaning/camera machine so we can clean/camera/rate our aged sewers with our crews. We have also funded the inspection/rating of all our sewer manholes and our engineers are working toward providing a sanitary sewer master plan.
Our engineers have studied and made recommendations for alterations/replacements of our main pumping station (Davis) that overflows into Buck Run regularly with each major rain event. with cost estimates of $1.5 million to $2.0 million. The commission has authorized rate increases designed to fund these programs. Maybe you have noticed your water bill has gone up.”
Community involvement in city projects has also increased in the last few years, he said.
“Look at the 200 volunteers for parks cleanup under the leadership of Seth Needam, the 200 volunteers for the downtown spring cleanup led by Bailey Lions, and the 40 volunteers to repair cracks and resurface the Woodland Hills Tennis Courts (along with donations from others for purchasing materials).
Certainly, there are more improvements/changes I would like to achieve, but I feel I am leaving the commission, and the city, in a much better condition than when I started, and that I can be proud of! Again, thank you for allowing me to represent you in this endeavor.”
Fort Scott City Hall.
Those Interested May Apply For the Vacancy
People interested in applying to fill the position vacated by Commissioner Pete Allen are asked to submit a letter of interest to: City Clerk, Diane Clay at 123 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701 or by email at [email protected] according to a press release from the city.
These letters of interest must be received by the clerk by noon on Monday, March 28th, 2022.
The individuals must live inside Fort Scott city limits.
Once the appointment has been made, it will become effective at the April 5th, 2022 City Commission meeting and the term will expire in December of 2024.
Union Station at Uniontown has gas today at $3.79, the same price as Fort Scott gas stations.
Drivers are getting a lesson in how events around the nation and the world can have an impact on what they pay at the gas pump. Today’s U.S. national average cost per gallon is $4.30, in Fort Scott, it is $3.79 according to American Automobile Association (AAA) https://cluballiance.aaa.com/public-affairs/fuel-price-finder
According to the AAA fuel price finder above, in the Fort Scott gas station locations of 5 Corners, Pete’s and Casey’s all have gas today for $3.79 as well as Union Station in Uniontown.
Those who would like to save money at the pump have some vehicle driving tips to help them reach that goal.
A call to AAA, Topeka, resulted in the following tips from Shawn Martin, AAA Retail Sales Associate with additional tips from Consumer Reports:
Drive the speed limit. “Your driving habits can play a significant role in fuel economy, according to a Consumer Reports story https://www.consumerreports.org/fuel-economy-efficiency/10-tips-to-get-the-most-out-of-a-tank-of-gas-a2642110189/. Consumer Reports measured gas mileage while driving at a steady 55, 65, and 75 mph in a Nissan Altima and Toyota RAV4. They found that reducing speed from 65 mph to 55 mph improved fuel economy by 6 mpg in the Altima and 8 mpg in the RAV4. The penalty of cruising at 75 mph, rather than 65 mph, was almost 7 mpg in the Altima and 6 mpg in the RAV4. Higher speeds exact a toll on fuel consumption. Another way to look at it: Speeding up from 55 to 75 mph is like moving from a compact car to a large SUV. Beyond fuel concerns, speeding is, of course, a safety risk.
No sudden acceleration. “Avoid hard acceleration and braking whenever possible. In our tests, frequent bursts of acceleration and braking reduced an older Toyota Camry’s mileage by 2 to 3 mpg. Once up to speed, maintain a steady pace, according to the web article. “The harder you accelerate, the more fuel you use. Unnecessary braking wastes the fuel you used to get up to speed. Drive smoothly and anticipate the movement of traffic. Smooth acceleration, cornering, and braking also extend the life of the engine, transmission, brakes, and tires.”
Download an app that tells of the best prices for gas near your location.
Additional fuel economy tips from Consumer Reports:
Keep at least a half-tank of fuel during cold winter months, and when there is a risk of shortages, say, due to a lack of gasoline delivery drivers to meet travel demands, or when a major storm is imminent. This tip also goes for holiday road trips, when roads can be congested and slow-moving. Having plenty of gas onboard can ease stress and give you more flexibility with when and where you fill up, according to Consumer Reports.
If you can minimize or combine errands or other activities, you will preserve the gas that you purchased and reduce overall consumption for the region, helping in some small way to reduce the gas scarcity.
Pay attention to aerodynamics. Remove roof racks when they are not being used. At highway speeds, more than 50 percent of engine power goes to overcoming aerodynamic drag.
Check your tire pressure. Tires lose about 1 psi a month. Having tires with lower pressure than what is recommended on the doorjamb sticker can affect performance, tire longevity, and fuel economy.
Using air conditioning does consume gas. In mild weather, if you can get by without it, even if you open the windows, it will give incremental savings. But once it gets hot, having AC on to cool the cabin and lower humidity is a wise investment in your comfort and ability to stay alert while driving.
The Foundry is located in Block 22, Pittsburg, Ks. from its Facebook page.
The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas (CFSEK) is offering a grant writing training workshop to SEK area non-profits which include 501 3c organizations as well as government, religious and educational institutions.
The training event will take place on Tuesday, April 19 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at The Foundry meeting room, located in Block 22, 402 N. Broadway in Pittsburg.
CFSEK is partnering with The Center of Community Supports at Greenbush Education Service Center to offer this workshop at no cost to the SEK community, according to a press release from the community foundation.
Sherri Stephens is the CFSEK Program Director. Submitted photo.
“Grant writing is one of the services of our foundation,” Sherri Stephens, CFSEK Program Coordinator, said. “We hope this training of writing a grant proposal will make it easier.”
Monica Murnan, Greenbush Director of Community Support Services, will share information on organizational readiness, proposal development, needs assessments, budgeting, and managing funded projects.
Monica Murnan. Photo credit: KLC Journal.
Murnan has a 25-year history of successful grant writing and management in the areas of community-based services, health care access, collaborative early childhood projects, and education-based programs for kids and families, according to the press release.
CFSEK staff will share some CFSEK grant-specific information as well.
Learn some “must do” and “please don’t” strategies along with some organizational tips for gaining funds for your organization/entity’s work, according to the press release.
Joshua Kobernat, 19, is the new director of the Keyhole Ministry, 1002 S. Main Street, Fort Scott.
“The ministry provides the community a safe space for youth from 6th to 12th grade to hang out,” Kobertnat said. “The Keyhole has video games, TV, board games, puzzles, a basketball court, and concessions.”
They have special gatherings as well.
“Our next event will be a St. Patrick’s day party on March 17,” Kobernat said. “We’ll be giving out free food and playing games to win prizes. We also hope to start up a weekly Bible study in April.”
Kobernat graduated high school in 2020 and took a year of Bible college at Heartland Baptist Bible College, Oklahoma City, OK.
He is the oldest of ten children of Dan and Amy Kobernat.
“They serve the community through Bethel Community Baptist Church and Christian Learning Center,” he said.
He also is a member of Bethel Community Baptist Church, whose members provide the community with the Living Nativity and other Christmas events and also offers the Reformers Unanimous ministry for those who are struggling with addictions.
He has served with assisting his church’s Vacation Bible School and taught Sunday School classes.
Kobernat started on March 2.
“The majority of my job involves overseeing the students that come in, as well as scheduling and preparing for events,” he said.
“I have always loved working with the youth,” Kobernat said. “I think that the Keyhole is a unique establishment through which these students can be themselves and I am blessed to play a small role in their lives.”
The facility is located across from Fort Scott High School at 1002 S. Main. The phone number is 620-223-4700.
The current board members of the Keyhole are Amber Goodbody,
Ryan Goodbody, Emily Diebolt, Judy Hood and Marge Madison.
The Bourbon County Commission met in open session with all three Commissioners and the County Clerk present.
Ann Dare, Matt Crystal and Bill Martin were present for a part or all of the meeting.
Clifton made a motion to approve the previous meetings minutes. Lynne seconded. All approved.
Eric Bailey presented a permit for culvert extension that was completed for Russell Felt at 2431 Jayhawk. All commissioners signed.
The bridge at 130th & Birch has the outer stringer in place and welded. Concrete decking is put back in and now we’re working on getting guard rail back up.
Eric stated they are calling for storms again this week. Material wise we are holding up. We got truck 145 back last week. We are on our way to get truck 146 so we’ll have 5 trucks to work with. Eric stated that we lost a previous employee over the weekend. There will be several of us attending the funeral tomorrow just to let you know. Landfill will stay open.Eric stated he met with Jeff Spangler last Tuesday after commission meeting and we went around and looked at some areas that IA is continuing to work on. They are doing a good job and will be doing a final punch list soon.
Clifton stated he received a request for sidearm mower on the county road going east of Oakgrove Cemetery. Eric stated they would take care of it.
Jim made a motion to sign a cereal malt beverage permit for 946 Hwy 69. Lynne seconded. All approved.
Ashley Shelton stated the Clerk’s office adds special assessments. We have requests to remove special assessments (mowing, demo, clean up, etc.) from the city asking us to remove them. The assessment requests are sent once a year to be added. Once assessment removal requests are received, the chairman approves and the process is handled by the Clerk’s office, then passed on to the Treasurer’s for finalizing.
Justin Meeks reported work is being done to prepare for the next sales tax. Demand letters will be going out soon for the sale in September.
Justin also reported that he has received revised contracts from Noble Health that he will be discussing with the Chairman.
Jim stated that in the past Justin mentioned about the county working with private investors at Elm Creek. Is that still something we’re looking at? Justin stated that five or six years ago we were approached by some people who were very interested in running an Airbnb or fixing up the cabins out there and having a private partnership. With money as tight as it is I think it is a very good idea to have that happen. It would be simple contracts. Some of the cabins have repair needs. Justin will check and see if the private investor is still interested. Clifton stated this would have to be a bid out process to do this.
Ashley Shelton wanted to discuss closing due to inclement weather. Ashley has a call-tree to all department heads and they in turn notify their employees. The clerk’s office is the switchboard for the building. We need to know if a department is closed so that as we receive calls that information can be passed along. We notify the radio station and we put posting on Facebook.
Susan stated that we have heard back from the state and they don’t like the contract that we had with the appraiser. We have fixed that and we’ve done a new resolution to comply with their format. In 2025 the resolution will need to be renewed again. We need to get this sent to the state as soon as possible. Clifton made a motion to accept the amended resolution for the appraiser’s contract (32-21). Lynne seconded. All approved.
Susan stated that has been working very closely with the Treasurer and Clerk’s office on various things. One of the things we’ve identified in the treasurer’s office is that it is difficult for Patty to not have a lot of interruptions where she is currently at. We have the control room right off of her office and we are asking that she be allowed to move into that area and that would allow her privacy and be able to concentrate a little better with less interruptions. Commissioners approved.
Susan stated that when going over the financial reports over the weekend there are a few entries that need to be corrected. I’m going to make those and we should have final reports next week. Patty and I are working on those.
Public Comment: Anne Dare asked for justification for a new parking lot. Justin stated it is the property owned by the land bank that is just west of the DMV building. The building currently includes Driver’s License Office, Probation Office and Spyder. The CEO of Spyder made a presentation to the city of Fort Scott and they are on rapid growth mode. They have a lot of room to grow. Susan stated that the property has to be advertised for 30 days. The grant that we are applying for is due February 28th contingent on us getting the property. Justin stated there is a dilapidated house that needs to be torn down. We are also looking at some basketball goals to be used by neighborhood children when not being used for a parking lot. Susan stated that only cost to us would be if there is a clearing title. Justin stated if there is a title issue he can take care of it. Anne followed up with asking why it is our place to provide parking for Spyder. Justin stated that this building is our incubator. Susan stated that the grant we are applying for we have to identify the businesses that are in there now and that grant is specific for expansion of business and that’s why they were named in our conversation. Susan stated the project is estimated at $150,000. for the project. That is only if the grant comes through. Anne stated that with ESSR funds the school district will receive $6,000,000 – $7,000,000 dollars that USD is going to receive on their own. I’m encouraging you all to be as fiscally responsible as you can with ARPA, Spark, etc. funds when these other entities come and ask the county for more funds. Susan stated that the Spark funds were the first funds released for Covid and then later on we had all these other funds that came out. At the time, when it happened, it was really to mitigate safe environments like the college used a lot of their funding to create dorm space to isolate. The school districts were spent more on masks and extra janitorial services. I think the intent of those Spark funds were used correctly at the time it happened because it was the only thing available. We haven’t had any requests from the educational facilities today for any of the funding the county is receiving.
Elected Official Comment: No Comment.
Five minute break was requested.
Commission Comments: Lynne commented on closing the courthouse due to inclement weather. Sometimes it’s justified to be closed. When you look at the overall scope of who has to show up to work. The biggest part of our workforce is going to be here and we’re going to pay time and a half. I do think it is a great idea that if the department heads don’t think we can make it in that’s the way we should go. Safety first for the families. Jim stated each department head should be in charge of their department. Clifton stated that weather can be different across the county. Bill Martin stated he agreed that it should be up to the department heads for their departments to be open. He asked if a person doesn’t come in how are they paid? They can take vacation time. Bill stated that it is not figured in his budget for snow days and paying time and a half. Asked that that be looked at when planning budgets. Jim plans to allow each department head to decide whether to be here or not. The courthouse will be open unless Eric states that no one should be out on the roads.
Clifton suggested having an evening commission meeting. It was determined the commission meeting for Tuesday, March 8, will be at the Community Building in Uniontown at 6:00pm. The meeting will not be available via YouTube.
At 9:59am, Clifton made a motion to adjourn. Lynne seconded. All approved.
The Bourbon County Commission met in open session with all three Commissioners and the County Clerk present.
Anne Dare and Jason Silvers were present for some or all of the meeting.
Clifton made a motion to approve the previous meetings minutes. Lynne seconded. All approved.
Eric presented two utility construction permits from Cox Communication. One on 240th north of Limestone for fiber optic. The other is on Kansas west of 230th. Lynne made a motion to approve the two permits. Clifton seconded. All approved.
Ashley Shelton presented a Real Property Relief Application for 1762 255th St, Fort Scott. Lynne made a motion to approve the Real Property Relief Application for 1762 255th St., Fort Scott, KS. Jim Harris seconded. All approved.
Susan presented Approval of Township & Cemetery Board Annual Report. This is a report of all their budget numbers. We are missing about 12. Those turned in are on budget. These reports are sent to the state. Lynne Oharah made a motion to approve the cemetery & township board reports that have reported for year-end budget of 2021. Clifton seconded. All approved.
Susan discussed sick leave. We had our first department head meeting and it went well. The resolution (06-22) being presented is how they feel the sick leave should be handled.
“Whereas all new hires accrue one day per month of sick leave. One day will represent the number of hours a normal workday is for the specific position or department and whereas of February 1, 2022, new hires will be given 12 days of sick leave on the first day of hire. If the employee leaves employment before their one-year anniversary date and sick leave used exceeds the annual accrual rate of one (1) day per month, the sick leave used must be reimbursed back to the county, Ex: Employee works sick (6) months but uses eight (8) days of sick leave and terminates employment. Two (2) days of non-accrued sick leave will be deducted from the employee’s final paycheck, and whereas, the number of months of service divided by two (2) will be allocated on day one of the transfer for any employee who transfers from a salaried position to an hourly position. Ex: An employee who has worked for Bourbon County in a salaried position for sixty (60) months (5 years) will be granted thirty (30) days of sick leave on the first day of the transfer to an hourly position.”
Basically we will frontload the sick leave for any new hire and if they terminate before first year of employment then they will have to pay days back. And for the salaried position we basically stated that this is what they would have accrued and then divided it in half. The department heads felt this was fair. As a resolution it will be added to the handbook until the handbook has been updated. Clifton made a motion to pass resolution 06-22 amending sick leave accrual. Lynne seconded. All approved.
Justin Meeks requested an executive session for attorney client privilege for 7 minutes. Clifton made a motion for executive session KSA 75-4319(b)(2) for consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship for 7 minutes returning at 8:53am including 3 commissioners and Justin Meeks. Lynne seconded. All approved. Lynne made a motion to resume normal session at 8:53am. No action. Clifton seconded. All approved.
Justin Meeks asked a motion to allow Chairman Harris to sign any and all legal documents for the possible transfer of the hospital building to Noble Health. Clifton made a motion to allow Chairman Harris to sign any and all legal documents from the county to Noble Health. Lynne seconded. All approved.
Justin Meeks asked for an executive session for proprietary information for 7 minutes including 3 commissioners, Susan Bancroft and myself. Clifton made a motion for executive session KSA 75-4319(b)(4) to discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trust, and individual proprietorships including 3 commissioners, Justin Meeks and Susan Bancroft for 7 minutes returning at 9:02am. Lynne seconded. All approved. Lynne made a motion to resume normal session at 9:02am. Clifton seconded. All approved.
Justin stated that he received an e-mail from a patron concerning some sales tax revenue stuff from back in the day. Obviously, I don’t have the ability to give that legal advice. It doesn’t deal with the county specifically so I will be forwarding that on. If I do need to address that myself I will request permission from the commission prior to that.
Jim Harris announced the commission has been invited to the 76th Annual Bourbon County Conservation District Annual Meeting to be held on February 5th, 5:30pm at Rosie’s Cabin in Uniontown, KS.
Clifton made a motion to allow the three commissioners to attend the Noble Health function. No business will be conducted. Lynne seconded. All approved.
Anne Dare asked about the Township & Cemetery Board Annual Report. She has heard from 2 different treasurers stating that the information they had received was confusing as to what they needed to report for year end. She asked if this has been taken care of. Ashley Shelton stated that the distribution came in high at the end of the year; it shows that they had more money. They need to show whatever was over that they didn’t spend as a cash balance at the beginning of 2022. They are going to receive less money in 2022 but added with that beginning cash balance for what they received over should balance out. Anyone that has reached out to me has been given this information on how to handle it. I would encourage anyone with questions to give me a call. Susan Bancroft made a suggestion that we call in all the treasurers and give them a rundown on how to do this process.
At 9:08am, Lynne made a motion to adjourn. Clifton seconded. All approved.
Kirk Sharp is the director of the Gordon Parks Museum on the campus of Fort Scott Community College. Submitted photo
The Gordon Parks Museum has become a part of a National Humanities Alliance Foundation’s initiative, Fort Scott’s Gordon Parks Museum Director Kirk Sharp told the Chamber members attending last week’s coffee.
The National Humanities Alliance (NHA) is a nationwide coalition of organizations advocating for the humanities on campuses, in communities, and in Washington D.C., which was founded in 1981.
“We received word on January 10th that The Learning Tree Film Scene and Sign Trail is being considered to be selected and would make a compelling profile on the NEH for All (NHA’s initiative) website,” Sharp said in an interview with fortscott.biz. “Further discussion soon followed.”
“This means everything to the museum, as this is an excellent opportunity to help further our outreach of this project nationwide and to keep the legacy of The Learning Tree film and Gordon Parks alive,” Sharp said. “This will also help tremendously to bring more visitors from across the nation, to not only to visit the trail and the Gordon Parks Museum but to spend time in Fort Scott and possibly visit other great attractions within our community.”
“The Learning Tree Film Scene and Sign Trail project is just one of six profiles selected in the state of Kansas and is one of the 260 profiles thus far, selected nationwide, that the (organization) spotlights as exemplary projects,” he said. “We are very honored, thankful, and thrilled that the National Humanities Alliance Foundation selected our Learning Tree Film Scene and Sign Trail as one of the spotlight projects across the nation.”
“With funding from Humanities Kansas, the state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Gordon Parks Museum set out in 2019 to create The Learning Tree Film Scene and Sign Trail. Based on Gordon Parks’ semi-autobiographical novel about growing up in Fort Scott, The Learning Tree was also the first major motion picture directed by an African American. This historic sign trail celebrates Parks and commemorates the filming of The Learning Tree in the city,” according to the website.
A Fort Scott High School senior has scored a perfect score of 36 on the American College Test. The test is a standardized one used for college admissions in the United States.
Shekhar Gugnani, 18, took the ACT in February of 2021.
“Shekhar is the first student in Fort Scott High School history to achieve a perfect score of 36 on the ACT,” Fort Scott High SchoolJr. and Sr. Counselor Josh Messer said. “He has also taken one of the most rigorous course loads possible while in high school. He has taken numerous classes through Fort Scott Community College during his high school career.”
“Shekhar is also a National Merit Scholarship Finalist, Messer said. “This distinction is based on his scores on the PSAT test he took as a Junior. To be a finalist, he is in the top 7,500 of students to take the test in the nation. He will find out if he is a National Merit Scholarship recipient later this month.”
He is the son of Sonia and Dr. P.K. Gugnani.
The following is from a fortscott.biz interview with Gugnani:
What did you do to prepare for the ACT?
“It wasn’t until my sophomore year that I started taking a lot of practice tests, focusing more on evaluating my weaknesses and trying to increase my score. After taking a practice test, I would sit down, look at what I missed, and then try to learn the concepts so I wouldn’t miss a similar question. It took a lot of rigorous training and holding myself accountable for every mistake, but in the end, it was all worth it.”
Did you take it more than once?
“Yeah. The first time I took it in high school was as a junior in October 2020, and I scored a 34. I retook the test in February of the following year (2021) because the test was free for all juniors. That was the test that I scored a perfect 36 on.”
What are your future plans?
“I’m still weighing my options on what college I plan to attend, but I know that I want to pursue a career as a doctor. I hope to one day gain admission into medical school, complete residency, and settle down to practice medicine.”
Are there people who have helped you attain this honor?
“Absolutely. I would say my primary influences were definitely my parents since they always pushed me to be the best version of myself. They motivated me to take practice tests, and sometimes they even helped me find my errors or come up with strategies to pace myself on the test (since it is timed). My teachers were also really influential, specifically my previous AP Calculus teacher, Jeff Armstrong. He was always willing to lend a hand wherever he could, and a lot of his trigonometry lessons helped greatly on the exam. I’d also like to thank my brothers, Neil and Raj, as well as my close friends, for always providing moral support throughout all of my endeavors.”
When will you find out about the National Merit Scholarship?
“I was already named one of 15,000 finalists in the program in February; starting this month, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation will designate about half of those people as scholarship winners, receiving $2,500 each. Being a finalist, some colleges will offer their own scholarships just for attaining this status.”
What will that mean to you?
“Regardless of the scholarship, being a finalist is a huge honor to me. It not only solidifies my name in this exemplary academic program, but it gives me a sense of accomplishment, knowing that my hard work has paid off. I came from a small but mighty town, and together with those around me, I was able to rise up and achieve national recognition.”
Kylene and Gary Palmer with their family. Submitted photo.
As a family unit, Kylene and Gary Palmer and their daughters, are in the process of turning their farm near Fort Scott into a business model that is a resource for consumers and producers.
Many of the plans on Freedom Farm are “projects in motion”, said Kylene.
“We haven’t ‘arrived’ yet, she said, but they do have thoughtful plans and projects that they are currently seeking grants to build.
“We want to build a resource and outlet for local farmers that have sustainable practices to sell straight to consumers,” she said.” We are working on formulating the structure for a co-op that is both beneficial to the consumer and producer.”
“We are constructing a central hub at our farm to host farm tours, educational programs, a small market for local farmers and a certified kitchen as a resource for farmers, among other things,” Palmer said.
“We are super excited about the grant we received from the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team,” she said. “We plan to use those funds to build a freezer/cooler in order to have space to ramp up production of our meat and eggs.”
They have dreams of a small, by appointment only, on-farm restaurant.
“The idea there is less about a restaurant and more about connecting consumers to local farmers,” she said. “We would love to have guest chefs from our local community and surrounding areas to keep things new and exciting and really make it a community offering.”
Agricultural bus tours are on the horizon for Freedom Farms.
“We have been doing much building and property maintenance to work towards that goal of hosting agriculture bus tours as one of the stops here in Bourbon County,” she said. “We are signed up for the Big Kansas Road trip in May for anyone wanting to stop by and visit or ask questions.”
“One of the many ways the certified kitchen would be put into use would be to offer on-farm lunch to the bus tour participants,” she said. “We would love to work together with local farms to achieve that goal.”
Currently, Freedom Farm produces and sells eggs, pastured poultry, lamb, and a minimal amount of goat.
Chickens at Freedom Farms. Submitted photos.
“It is a family affair, ” she said. “I do most of the day-to-day chores along with help from our children. My eldest daughter has started her own lamb herd and another daughter is in the beginning stages of growing her goat herd. Gary oversees the planning and marketing and is involved every day after work hours. Everyone is involved at many different levels and we hope to employ others as we grow.”
The facility is located across from Fort Scott High School at 1002 S. Main. The phone number is 620-223-4700.
