Youth Fundraiser!
First Baptist Church Basement
123 Scott Avenue, Fort Scott
Friday, June 5 7:30-4:00
Saturday, June 6, 7:30-4:00
During Good Ole Days!
Furniture/Appliances Outdoor Gear Electronics
Dishes Home Decor Clothing
Bedding Books Toys
Kitchen Tapes/CD’s/DVD’s And Much More!
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Tiger Drama Camp Presents “The Entire American Revolution (In 40 Minutes or Less)”
The Fort Scott High School Tiger Drama Camp presents “The Entire American Revolution (In 40 Minutes or Less)” by Eddie McPherson at 7 p.m. on May 29 and 30 at the FSHS Auditorium.
The camp is directed and designed by the FSHS Thespians and open to children going into 1st through 9th grades.
Pioneer Drama says, “History has never been so fun… or so fast! Flying through the major points of America’s quest for independence, this fast-and-loose comedy plays like a highlight reel of history in hilarious fashion! Sorry, Hamilton’s busy in a different play, but your audience will both laugh and learn as they watch patriots such as George Washington, Paul Revere, Samuel and John Adams, Patrick Henry, and Benjamin Franklin battle the vain King George III and his British soldiers. From the Boston Tea Party to the Battle of Bunker Hill (Did you know it was really Breed Hill?!) to the crossing of the Delaware and onward to the British surrender at Yorktown…”
The cast includes 25 students from the surrounding area while over a dozen high school students serve as directors and technical crew. FSHS recent graduates Levi Fairchild and Chris Newman serve as Directors and Thespians is directed by FSHS Theatre teacher Angie Bin.
Tickets are $5 and available at fortscotthighschool.ludus.com or at the door. Tickets are reserved seating and doors open 30 minutes prior to showtime.
FSHS Tiger Drama Camp was recently featured in the Show Me the Ozarks Magazine. The in-depth story can be found on the magazine’s website.
“The Entire American Revolution (In 40 Minutes or Less)” is produced by special arrangement with Pioneer Drama
Service, Denver, Colorado.
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Vickie and Larry Shead from their farm’s Facebook page.
Vickie and Larry Shead work diligently every year to have a homestead festival at their farm, located near Garland in Bourbon County. They do this to encourage the community in homesteading.
Alongside them are their children, grandchildren and community members who share in their enthusiasm for the homestead lifestyle.
According to Webster’s Dictionary, homesteading is “the act or practice of living frugally or self-sufficiently, especially by growing and preserving food.”
Over the years, the Sheads have widened the scope of their farm festival to include locals and a festival that includes events, entertainment, and vendors, making it a fun family day.
The Shead Farm Festival is this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 2468 Cavalry Road, Garland. Tickets are $5 or for a family of five or more members $25. For more information 620.224.4149 or www.sheadfarm.com.
From their Facebook page.
Vickie Shead said there are new events added this year and some new vendors.
“Laura James from Lucky Horse Ranch will be bringing her miniature horses for young children to ride.
“Also, Steve William, from Redfield, will be at the festival with wagon rides pulled by his giant draft horses.
“Other new vendors include: chicken tractors, canning shelves, herb/spices, birdhouses, books, baskets, fudge, pork rinds, sourdough items, and more!” she said.
Information booths will include the National Resources Conservation Service, explaining their grant program to help people farm and garden.
The Shead Farm Homestead Festival is offering kids vendor booth spots for young business-minded kids who would like to sell their products or services.
If you have a young business minded child and you have been looking for an opportunity to sell their product or service, you have found it. Sign up for a spot at the Shead Farm Festival kids vendor booths. We look forward to hosting your young vendor and shopping their business booths.
Sign up for a kids (ages 6-18) vendor booth spot for FREE today by clicking HERE!
CLC WASPS Named Grand Champions
Three Heartland-sponsored teams from Bourbon County combine for four first-place finishes and overall championship title
WICHITA, Kan. — Three teams of Bourbon County high schoolers sponsored by Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative brought home four first-place awards — including the Grand Champion title — at the 2026 SunPowered Student Challenge, held April 8 at Wichita State University.
The WASPS from Christian Learning Center in Fort Scott topped the overall standings with 1,323 points, outpacing eight other teams from Kansas and Oklahoma to claim Grand Champion honors. Two teams from Uniontown High School — the Solar Queens and Solar Eagles — also finished in the top three overall, giving Heartland-sponsored teams a sweep of the event’s top spots.
“As rural electric cooperatives, it’s part of our mission to help educate our communities, and that includes the next generation as well,” said Mark Scheibe, CEO of Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative. “If we can spark curiosity in students, and if we can help them see the future in energy or engineering, or take some of the problem-solving skills that they learn during this competition to apply in their future lives, then that’s a win for them and the communities that we serve.”
The SunPowered Student Challenge is a statewide competition that begins in the classroom — student teams work through a hands-on solar energy curriculum over several months before competing at Wichita State University. Challenges include designing and installing photovoltaic arrays on scaled model buildings, analyzing real-world site conditions, delivering professional presentations and collaborating with teams they’ve never worked with before.
The competition was founded in partnership with Kansas Rural Electric Cooperatives, Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative, Pitsco Education and Ten80 Education, and is now housed under the nonprofit Future STEAM.
Heartland REC helped create the program in 2024 and continues as both a program and team sponsor. The cooperative has sponsored teams from communities across its southeast Kansas service territory.
Results by Team:
WASPS — Christian Learning Center
Team members: Holly Cain, Ryan Cain, Abby Jacobs, Henry Morris
Coach: Scott Cain
Solar Queens — Uniontown High School
Team members: Aryonnah Beaton, Camilla Cagle, Paityn Hueston, Jiyah Middleton
Coaches: Carrie Sutcliffe and Christal Martin
Solar Eagles — Uniontown High School
Team members: Ziggy Barbour, Adam Page, Ty Shelton, Ash Sporleder
Coach: Brad Johnson
Overall Scores:
| School/Team Name | Score |
| CLC WASPS | 1323 |
| Uniontown Solar Eagles | 1218 |
| Uniontown Solar Queens | 1107 |
| Beloit Solar Swords | 1030 |
| Lincoln Solar Leopards | 1011 |
| Woodward Solar Boomers 1 | 900 |
| Woodward Solar Boomers 2 | 823 |
| Oxford Ra | 811 |
| Woodward Solar Boomers 3 + Rock Creek | 796 |
About Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative
Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric utility powering rural lifestyles throughout more than 11,000 locations in eastern Kansas. Heartland’s service area includes member-owners in 12 counties: Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Labette, Linn, Miami, Neosho, Wilson, and Woodson.
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Tennyson Creek Solar, a project by Doral Renewables, is continuing its commitment to local communities with a series of recent donations supporting education, youth programs, and community organizations across Bourbon County.
As part of this effort, Tennyson Creek Solar has contributed to:
Uniontown students participated in the SunPowered Student Challenge, which is an annual event that brings together students from across Kansas to explore solar energy through hands-on projects and team-based competition. The third annual competition took place on April 8 at Wichita State University.
Students participated in wiring, system setup, mounting, collaboration, and presentation challenges throughout the competition. Uniontown teams had a standout performance, bringing home three awards:
“This type of support gives our students opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have,” said Vance Eden, Superintendent of Uniontown Schools. “Participating in the SunPowered Student Challenge allows them to explore real-world applications of science and energy while building teamwork and problem-solving skills.”
Doral Renewables says these contributions reflect its broader mission of investing in the Bourbon County community.
“We’re committed to supporting local organizations through Tennyson Creek Solar,” said Cliff Williams, Vice President of Development at Doral Renewables. “Initiatives like the SunPowered Student Challenge help inspire the next generation of Bourbon County.”
The Tennyson Creek Solar Project, currently under development in Bourbon County, represents Doral Renewables’ ongoing dedication to responsible renewable energy development and meaningful community investment across Kansas.
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Gabriella Basso, 17, is an international student attending Uniontown High School this school year.
She is from Garibaldi, a municipality in Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil, with an area of approximately 35,000 people. Uniontown has around 300 people.
“I learned about the exchange program through my sister, who also participated in one during the 2022–2023 school year. She originally found out about it on YouTube, and after hearing about her experience, I became really interested in doing the same,” Gabi said.
Her first experience in America was visiting Walt Disney World when she was young.
“At that time, everything felt very big and exciting,” she said. “Later on, through movies and social media, I imagined American high schools as having a lot of school spirit and opportunities. When I finally came as an exchange student, I realized many of those impressions were true, especially the size of the schools and how involved students are in activities.”
“While living here, I’ve learned that sports are a big part of student life, and many people are very involved in school activities. I also noticed how important cars are for daily life, since most people rely on them to get around. Another thing that stood out to me is the strong sense of pride people have in their schools and colleges, as well as the sense of community in many towns.”
Learning all the differences in everyday English and adapting to a new culture have been the biggest challenges for her, she said.
“Even though I studied English before coming, it was still difficult at first to understand everything and express myself the way I wanted. Being away from my family and adjusting to a different routine was also challenging, but it helped me grow a lot as a person.”
“Here in the U.S., I’ve had the opportunity to take classes that are not usually offered in the same way in Brazil, especially as separate, specialized subjects. For example, I’ve taken Human Anatomy & Physiology, FACS (Family and Consumer Sciences), and Agriculture classes. These types of courses are more hands-on and focused on specific skills or career areas, which makes them very different from what I would typically experience in Brazil.”
“American high schools are quite different from schools in Brazil. Here, students have more flexibility to choose their classes and schedules, while in Brazil the curriculum is more fixed.”
“There is also a much bigger focus on extracurricular activities, like sports and clubs, which are a central part of student life. In addition, American schools often have a strong sense of school spirit, which is something I found really interesting.”
The hosting family
She is being hosted by the Chris and Lael Woods family.
About the organization that brought Gabi to Uniontown
“Gabi has tried a lot of new activities – sports, art, clubs….everything,” said Janice Rake, with the sponsoring organization, the Pan American Foundation, that matched Gabi with her host family. “Right now, we are working to place many wonderful students for the upcoming school year. They are eager to experience American culture and share their culture—but without a host family, that opportunity is not possible. Families who do host often describe it as a life-changing experience, forming lasting relationships and gaining a global perspective right from their home.”
Rake can be reached at
janicerake@gmail.com
or
iwanttohost.org .
GIRARD, Kan. — April 9, 2026 — Rural communities thrive when the next generation stays, grows, and leads. That’s the belief behind Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative’s Future Foundations Scholarship Program — and this year, 12 high school seniors living on Heartland’s lines are putting that belief into action.
Heartland REC is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 Future Foundations Scholarships. Each recipient (three per Heartland director district) will receive $1,000 to support their pursuit of high-need careers in nursing, education, skilled trades, and agriculture at Kansas institutions.
2026 Future Foundations Scholarship Recipients
District 1
Garrett Conley — Agricultural Technology | Pleasanton High School
Ashlan George — Nursing | Pleasanton High School
Kimball Uphoff — Agricultural Engineering | Prairie View High School
District 2
Emma Jean Kintzer — English Education | St. Paul High School
Bryson Peters — Lineman | Erie High School
Allison Weatherman — Pediatric Physical Therapist | Crest High School
District 3
Timothy “Tater” Ames — Automotive Service Technician | Uniontown High School
Seth Shadden — Automotive Service Technician | Uniontown High School
Klara Stock — Elementary Education | Uniontown High School
District 4
Joe Feagan — Electrician | Frontenac High School
Kelyn Page — Elementary Education | Girard High School
Rayleea Russell — Agricultural Education | Girard High School
The Future Foundations Scholarship Program is part of Heartland REC’s broader commitment to strengthening the communities it serves. By investing in students pursuing careers in fields that rural Kansas needs most, the cooperative is helping ensure the long-term vitality of the region.
For more information about the Future Foundations program, visit https://www.heartland-rec.com/community/future-foundations-scholarship/.
About Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative
Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric utility powering rural lifestyles throughout more than 11,000 locations in eastern Kansas. Heartland’s service area includes member-owners in 12 counties: Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Labette, Linn, Miami, Neosho, Wilson, and Woodson.
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Fort Scott Community College welcomed 46 new members into its Phi Theta Kappa honor society during an induction ceremony held March 31, 2026, at the Ellis Fine Arts Center Auditorium.
The ceremony recognized students from the Alpha Theta Omega Chapter for their academic achievement and commitment to excellence. Phi Theta Kappa is the international honor society for two-year colleges, promoting scholarship, leadership, service and fellowship among high-achieving students.
The event began with a greeting and welcome, followed by a presentation on the society’s symbols and traditions. Chapter leadership and advisors participated in the formal induction process, including the recitation of the Phi Theta Kappa pledge and official recognition of new members.
Students inducted into the chapter achieved a grade point average of 3.5 or higher while completing at least 12 credit hours, meeting the national eligibility requirements for membership.
During the ceremony, chapter advisors emphasized the significance of academic dedication and the opportunities available through Phi Theta Kappa, including scholarships, leadership development and community engagement.
The induction concluded with closing remarks and a reception honoring the new members and their accomplishments.
Phi Theta Kappa has recognized and encouraged scholarship among two-year college students worldwide for more than 100 years. The organization is designated by the American Association of Community Colleges as the official honor society for two-year institutions.
For more information about Phi Theta Kappa at Fort Scott Community College, contact the college at (620) 223-2700.
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