Category Archives: Fort Scott

Bourbon County, Entertainment, Fort Scott, Gordon Parks Museum, History

“The Learning Tree” Trail Project Selected For National Humanities Alliance Foundation Initiative

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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.”

To learn more about The National Humanities Alliance Foundation’s initiative, NEH for All,  view the profile website https://nehforall.org/projects/gordon-parks-fort-scott.

“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.

 

Bourbon County, Food, Fort Scott

Increase Healthier Food Options

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Time is running out to take the HBCAT Food Pantry Survey!!! Please take two minutes and fill out the short survey RIGHT NOW!!!  This will inform our work with food pantries!! Please share!!

 

Do you donate to a food pantry?  Do you want more information? Guide our work to increase access to healthier options!! It only less than two minutes!!  The #HBCAT and #BCBSKSPathways Healthy Choices at Bourbon County Food Pantries survey is open today!!   PLUS Enter for a chance to win a Fitbit!! https://forms.gle/QR7SdJG4UmF4dEuq6

 

Submitted by

Jody Hoener

The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Inc.

President and CEO

Ascension Via Christi, Fort Scott, Health Care

Ascension Via Christi Clinic in Fort Scott expands services to include echocardiograms, ultrasound

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Ascension Via Christi Clinic in Fort Scott is now offering ultrasound and echocardiogram services, making it possible for patients to receive these services in the best possible place: Close to home and family.

“We continue to invest in and grow our outpatient services in both Fort Scott and Pittsburg,” says Drew Talbott,
president of Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, under whose umbrella the Fort Scott ER and associated clinic
and diagnostic services operate. “Physicians and specialists in both geographic markets will have access to the
diagnostic imaging they need to provide seamless, well-coordinated care, which is particularly important for heart care
patients and expectant mothers.”

The newly added imaging services, which require a physician referral, are being provided every Thursday at Ascension
Via Christi’s Fort Scott clinic.

Josh Seaver, who lives in Fort Scott and has served as an sonography technologist at Ascension Via Christi Hospital in
Pittsburg for 2.5 years, says he is excited to play a role in making these services more readily accessible to his
neighbors.

“As someone who commutes to work daily, I am happy to eliminate patients’ need to drive to either Pittsburg or Joplin
whenever possible,” says Seaver. “Having the services available is a benefit to them and to me as it is one less day on
the road.”

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About Ascension Via Christi
In Kansas, Ascension Via Christi operates seven hospitals and 75 other sites of care and employs nearly 6,400 associates. Across the state,
Ascension Via Christi provided nearly $89 million in community benefit and care of persons living in poverty in fiscal year 2021. Serving Kansas for
more than 135 years, Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with
special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. Ascension is the leading non-profit and Catholic health system in the U.S.,
operating more than 2,600 sites of care – including 145 hospitals and more than 40 senior living facilities – in 19 states and the District of Columbia.
Visit www.ascension.org.

Fort Scott, Schools

Gugnani Earns a Perfect ACT Score

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Shekhar Gugnani. Submitted photo.

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.”

Art, Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Chamber Coffee March 10 at Ellis Arts Center

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Join us for this week’s
Chamber Coffee and 30th Annual
Bourbon County Fine Arts Exhibit
Hosted by Bourbon County Arts Council
Thursday, March 10th, 8am
Coffee and Exhibit Location:
Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center
on the campus of Fort Scott Community College
2108 S. Horton St.
Arts Exhibit:
Thursday, March 10th & Friday, March 11th from Noon to 7pm
Saturday, March 12th from 9am to 1pm
Artist Reception:
March 10th from 6pm to 8pm
Community is especially welcomed at the Artist Reception!
Categories include Best of Show 2D and 3D, Ceramics, Drawing and Graphics (Pencil, Pen, Ink), Fiber Arts, Glasswork, Jewelry, Mixed Media, Painting (Oil and Acrylic), Pastel, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture and Watercolor.
Like the Bourbon County Arts Council’s Facebook page here.
Fort Scott, Schools

U234 Preschool Spring Fling: Fun and Info

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The Early Childhood Community Partners are sponsoring an Early Childhood Spring Fling for ages 0-6 years on April 7th from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Families will have the opportunity to participate in family engagement activities. Early Childhood providers and community organizations may also provide brochures or flyers to promote their organizations to assist any family based on their level of need. The event will also honor the “Week of the Young Child”, which is April 4-8th.

The location is at the Fort Scott Preschool Center, 409 S. Judson.

For more information: 620.223-8965.

Fort Scott, Schools

U234 Board of Education Minutes of March 7

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NEWS RELEASE

 

Monday, March 7, 2022

 

Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met at the Board of Education office on Monday, March 7, 2022, for their regular monthly meeting.

President James Wood opened the meeting.  The board approved the official agenda.  The board also approved the consent agenda as follows:

 

A.    Minutes

B.    Bills and Claims

C.    Payroll – February 18, 2022 – $1,430,277.49

D.    Financial Report

E.     Activity fund accounts­­­­­­

 

There was one comment in the public forum section of the meeting.

Written reports were shared by principals.  In addition, the board heard reports from Dalaina Smith, Academics Director; Ted Hessong, Superintendent; and Gina Shelton, Finance Director/Board Clerk.

Superintendent Hessong gave an ESSER III update.

Board members approved the following:

 

·       Contract with HTK Architects for options to expand the preschool center

·       Pre-funding early retirement recommendation

·       Membership in the Greenbush Perkins Consortium

·       Boiler repair with CDL

 

Board members shared comments and then went into executive session to discuss employer-employee negotiations.  The board returned to open meeting and then went into executive session for preliminary discussion relating to the acquisition of real property.  The board returned to open meeting and then went into executive session to discuss personnel matters for nonelected personnel.  The board returned to open meeting and approved the following employment matters:

 

A.    Resignation of Mary Jo Harper, Eugene Ware music teacher, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year

B.    Resignation of Kristin Duffey, Eugene Ware fifth grade teacher, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year

C.    Resignation of William Hall, high school math teacher, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year

D.    Resignation of Carrie Southwell, Eugene Ware third grade teacher on leave of absence, effective March 3, 2022

E.     Resignation of Jennifer Hartman, high school English teacher, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year

F.     Retirement of Jim Pruitt, central office maintenance, effective May 12, 2022

G.    Resignation of Judy Warren, Eugene Ware paraprofessional, effective February 24, 2022

H.    Resignation of Jennifer Durkin, high school paraprofessional, effective March 11, 2022

I.      Leave of absence for Hayden Travis, Winfield Scott second grade teacher

J.      Addition of a high school counselor position and a middle school counselor position for the 2022-23 school year

K.    Employment of Suzan Durnell as the elementary instructional coach for the 2022-23 school year

L.     Employment of Jonathon Barnes as a high school social studies teacher for the 2022-23 school year

M.   Employment of Lannette Wood as a high school paraprofessional for the remainder of the 2021-22 school year

N.    Employment of Makyah Goldsby as a middle school intramural track coach for the 2021-22 school year

O.    Employment of Kathi Hall as a high school assistant softball coach for the 2021-22 school year; A stipend for Dave Martin as a high school assistant swim coach for the 2021-22 school year

P.     Addition of a high school assistant boys’ tennis coach for the 2021-22 school year

 

The board adjourned.

Business, Fort Scott

Dancers Purchase Downtown Scottish Rite Temple

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The exterior photo of the Scottish Rite building from 1926 shows storefronts on the ground floor. Submitted photo.
Tracy and Kathy Dancer, Fort Scott, have purchased the
 Scottish Rite Temple at 110 South Main.
Kathy Dancer, taken from Facebook.
Tracy Dancer, taken from Linkedin.
The couple is investing in the historic downtown building to make it an asset to the community once again, she said.
“We see this as an opportunity to invest in Fort Scott and repurpose a historic building,” Kathy said.  “The building has been dormant since 2014 and there has been no maintenance or activity in the building since it was sold by the Scottish Rite.”
They purchased the building from the Bourbon County Commission property tax auction that was conducted in January.
“Currently, we plan on providing micro-retail spaces for small retail businesses,” she said.  “Micro-retail spaces are a great opportunity for local entrepreneurs to have a retail space without committing to a large store or the overhead associated with a stand-alone storefront.”
“The building will also support pop-up shops and small seasonal stores,” Kathy said.  “We have had many community members also ask us to consider a cafe or pie pantry so we are considering incorporating those into the space as well.  Ideally, we will be able to use the theater for events and as a rentable venue in the future.”
Currently, they are not seeking grants to help with the project.
“If grant funding becomes available that is a good fit for the space and the community, we would consider applying but at this time we have not applied for anything and our plan does not rely on grant money.”
“Right now our initial plans are to restore utilities and water service
so we can better assess the condition of the building and mechanical systems,” she said.  “Once electricity and water are in place, we can begin to better evaluate the interior and formalize plans to repurpose the ground floor space.”
“The building is part of the historic downtown district so we will be applying to the State Historic Preservation Office for their approval of restoration and renovation plans before we can begin work,” she said.
The theater is on the second floor of the Scottish Rite Temple. Submitted photo.
History of the Building
“The building was constructed by the Scottish Rite Valley of Fort Scott and was completed in 1926,” she said.  “The building hosted meetings for the fraternal organization as well as community events.  There was a dining hall on the ground floor and a large theater on the second floor. The building still has many original features in the theater and lobby area as well as the original air chest pipe organ.”
The Scottish Rite theater lobby with original pillars. Submitted photo.
“If anyone would like to follow our progress and plans, we will be posting updates on our social media on Facebook and Instagram at @110SouthMainFortScott,” she said
Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Tomorrow

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CHAMBER INVITES COMMUNITY TO THE
YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP CHALLENGE TRADESHOW EXHIBIT
Stop by the FSHS Aux Gym
Tuesday, March 8th between
11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
In addition to our top 3 place awards, we will have a Community Choice Award for you to vote on your favorite business!
Come check out the different business plans conceived by students, either individually or in
small groups, as part of the competition organized
by the Chamber. These students have worked hard over the last semester-plus on all aspects of their business concepts and your attendance and support would be appreciated!
Click here for the FB event.
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the third annual Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge in partnership with Fort Scott High School. Thirty students, either individually or in groups of two or three, have prepared sixteen startup business ideas and will compete for cash prizes to be judged on Tuesday, March 8th. As part of the event, the students will have tradeshow exhibits displaying their business concepts in the Fort Scott High School auxiliary gym from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday and the public is invited and encouraged to stop by during this time and take a look at the different booths.
Although the competition is open to any students in Bourbon County, students enrolled in the business and entrepreneurship class at Fort Scott High School with instructor Mrs. Morgan Sage have been the primary ones to enter the competition.
The Chamber organizes the program in association with the NetWork Kansas E-Community Partnership and Bourbon County is one of many communities across Kansas to host a local competition from which the students compete against each other for $3,500 in prize money with the top winner advancing to the state Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge to be held in April in Manhattan.
The public is welcome and encouraged to stop by the tradeshow on Tuesday, March 8th to view the creative business plans and support these students who have worked on their projects over the past several months as part of their class. Both the east and west doors of the high school will be open for entry during this time.
Contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce for more information at 620-223-3566 or [email protected].