BREAK THROUGH MARKETING Creating new pathways of marketing Regan LaRue

Gavin Tate, Business Development Director, cracks a joke in a meeting with the team at QueenBee. The fellowship and work environment in their office added to the team’s performance.

Regan LaRue, Reporter & Designer

Companies thrive when people hear about their business. There was a need in the Hutchinson community and a vision when QueenBee Marketing was started. The local company strives to create new pathways of marketing for their clients’ latest needs.

QueenBee was first developed in 2015 with the goal set to create quality social media services.

Gavin Tate, Business Development Director, said, “As we started doing things that were very unique and successful, other industries started to take note and wanted in on the same stuff.”

This led to the creation of a team that could offer a wide range of services.

QueenBee does it all, with the skills each team member brings to the table, including graphic design, web design, account representatives, and videography to only name a few. The unique set of skills within the team allows QueenBee to reach out to more clientele.

The world changes more and more every day, so what a marketing team used to simply do for a company is now the bare minimum. In the past, a marketing team may just help a company make a slogan or hire a photographer to shoot a photo for a billboard, but with QueenBee there’s no need to hire outside parties. They can complete a company’s needs all within their office.

Their office space is just as unique as the services they provide. The ordinary cubicle office is replaced with a wide open space shared by the whole team. There’s also a recording room for any of

◄ Photo by Regan LaRue ◄ Theodore McFarland, Web and Graphic Designer, talks about the project he’s been working on. McFarland worked on numerous projects each day.

▼ Photo by Regan LaRue ▼ The team listens to Loribeth Reynolds, Operations Manager, as she talks about upcoming projects. It took a group effort for the team to prepare for projects.

their clients’ audio needs, a photography studio, and a large meeting room with hanging chairs to create a more cozy and friendly atmosphere.

The space also includes fun areas such as a loft with games and a large kitchen with a bar.

“I do love this office, it’s very open, it has a great atmosphere and we do have fun here,” Tate said. “Though I do have to remind people we have fun here because we do our jobs very well.”

In order to provide a wide range of services, they have to have the talent to fill those spots.

As QueenBee said, they’re all incredibly busy bees, coming into work each day their always met with a new surprise.

Tate said, “I love coming in everyday knowing that we’re gonna see something really creative happen and different from the day before.”

Everyday is a new day at QueenBee. Very few of the teammates have a day at the office like the day before, their plans and activities change on a daily basis.

Tate said, “I’m constantly on the go and I’m always meeting with a member on our team.” He continued “A lot of the team have pretty crazy days but for maybe a position as an account rep could maybe be more day to day.”

Though the business is dedicated to providing a great atmosphere for their employees, they are also committed to taking care of their clients’ needs.

The company has grown very fast within their five years. The hard work and dedication from it’s team to create a unique full-service agency has really pushed QueenBee to the next level.

Tate said, “As our clients’ names grew we expanded and became a full service marketing agency.”

QueenBee strives to continue to improve in the marketing field, they work hard and diligently to become the best of the best.

Tate works on current projects at his desk in the open office space. The office space allows for open communication between team members.

Azia Colvin, Reporter & Designer

Imagine sitting in an auditorium where friends, families, and strangers are all sitting right next to each other. A hum of voices from different conversations can be heard until the lights dim and the chatter begins to diminish. The instruments begin to crescendo into a note to make sure they’re all tuned correctly, and the performers are ready to begin. For musicians, this was what they have been working for, a live audience who will hear sound.

In March, many questioned if they would be able to perform live music at Hutchinson Community College again, and if so, what it would look like. There were many unknowns when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, and since then, many changes and challenges have arisen.

“It certainly is not easy right now to enforce new rules and enforce the safety of our students,” Chris Miertschin, Band and String Instructor, said. “But live music is an experience like no other, and we would do anything to be able to keep that experience.”

Neal Allsup, Choir Instructor, has been conducting choir for 37 years, and this will be his 33rd year with HutchCC, but his first year experiencing the challenges that Covid-19 has presented.

“This year has been a struggle with finding facilities that adhere to social distancing requirements, as there are not many rooms that can hold 60 people standing six feet apart,” Allsup said. “But we are very fortunate to have the Gallery Theatre to perform in.”

In the theatre, the floor is marked with x’s to indicate where everyone should stand based on social distancing.

Choir is also required to wear masks while singing, and they have to sanitize just about everything before and after classes, reducing the amount of time they are able to rehearse.

“Masks create a lot of frustrations with performing, with glasses getting fogged up and difficulty communicating,” Shonsee Loewen, Montezuma, said. “In jazz choir, we base a lot

Playing the trombone may have some new challenges, but Simon Steinert, McPherson, continues to play. Brass players now have to use bell covers and puppy pads underneath their spit valves.

of our communication on facial expressions and each other’s mouths, but now we don’t have that. While it is frustrating, we all are very glad to be back.”

“I’ve definitely had to adapt my teaching and conducting style,” Allsup said. “One way that I’ve done so is including literature for us to sing that fits the situation at hand, such as dealing with all these unknowns and learning to enjoy the present because it could be gone in just a second, just like how it was back in March.”

As for the band groups at HutchCC, they are facing a different set of challenges.

“We had to purchase additional equipment and have masks with specific holes to put the instrument through,” Miertschin said. “We now have bell covers for any instrument with a bell such as the trombone or trumpet, which significantly reduces What’s new

Masks with holes to place the instrument’s mouthpieces in.

risks, and the flutes now have wind defenders which cover the mouth piece.”

Despite all these challenges, HutchCC musicians are staying positive and are happy to at least be back rehearsing and working towards performing.

“As a music major, performing is the most important part of developing my musicianship,” Loewen said.

As of right now, the music department is planning on doing the regularly scheduled concerts, just with a few changes.

There will be reduced seating so that families can sit together, but there must be two seats between different families or an empty row in between to adhere to social distancing.

The music department is also planning on streaming concerts online and maybe even looking towards performing outdoors.

If there is one thing musicians are learning this year, it is how to prevail in the face of serious challenges.

“For us musicians, singing in masks is a wonderful opportunity for us to be overcomers,” Allsup said. “We are presented with this challenge that would seem almost impossible months ago, but we will still overcome and do what we love in the face of obstacles.”

Miertschin said, “These changes may be pretty big challenges, but they are making us better as musicians and forcing us to be stronger players.”

The pep band continues through rehearsal even during the pandemic. Chris Miertschin, Band Instructor, eagerly began to instruct rehearsal in hopes of keeping live music performances alive.

Flute players now are required to use a special piece of equipment called wind defenders. Red Bridges, Hutchinson, practiced playing their flute just before rehearsal begam.

Puppy pads for instruments with a spit valve to collect the spit. Bell covers to stop any germs from escaping bell instruments. Air purifiers to keep the air fresh and clean in the band room. X’s in the Gallery Theatre to socially distance singers. Santizer used to wipe down everything after use.

Myranda Stika, Reporter & Designer

Hutchinson Community College sports are a little different this fall. Cross country is the only sport allowed to compete for a national championship during the fall semester after restrictions were put on by the National Junior College Athletic Association due to Covid-19. Golf is also allowed to compete in their fall meets but won’t finish until spring.

The women’s cross country team had their first race on Sept. 4 at Fun Valley Sports Complex. This night race was the only home event for the team this year. Returning as head coach is Justin Riggs who has been at HutchCC since the 2012 season. A new face on the course is Assistant Coach Hannah Heidebrect who was once a Blue Dragon athlete herself.

Covid-19 has played a role in this year’s cross country season. Not only has the virus impacted each student but it’s also affected the faculty, staff and coaches across campus who have to make sure their students and athletes are healthy.

“I am currently constantly anxious for everyone’s health,” Riggs said.

“I think the most challenging thing this season will be keeping all the athletes healthy not just at HCC but at other schools in our conference. There are moments where we, as a team, find ourselves worrying if we are going to have the next meet we are supposed to be running,” Heidebrecht said.

Many reactions came from the fall sports season changes. Returning runner Megan Miller, Buhler, said,

“I was a little surprised. I was really grateful that we are still able to compete and do what we love and just make the most of it.”

“We are fortunate to be able to compete this fall and [I am] grateful for the opportunity,” Riggs said.

In her days as a HutchCC student, Heidebrecht ran cross country under the direction of Coach Riggs.

“When I applied to be a high school math teacher at Hutch, I thought about asking Coach Justin Riggs if I could come to practices as a volunteer and help out,” Heidebrecht said.

“Coach Riggs sought me out during my first week of teaching to bring me on the team. That was my sign I was to start coaching my first year of teach-

Crossing the finish line with a time of 19.55, Sheila Too, Eldoret, Kenya, receives seventh place. Too is a sophomore runner at Hutchinson Community College. ing,” Heidebrect said. “I am forever thankful for that. I love working with people to help with improvement, encouragement, and for creating a safe environment.”

Heidebrecht looks forward to this year coaching alongside Riggs.

“I am most excited about learning how coaching works alongside a great group of athletes and Coach Justin Riggs. I have learned so much this first month already. I am also excited to see a family built among the team members and having a smashing season,” Heidebrecht said.

The bond between coaches and athletes is also important.

“Coach Justin Riggs and I switch off each week with who is working with the men and who is working with the ladies. I also try to run with the ladies as much as I can to help build relationships but also let them know I understand the pain they are going through,” Heidebrecht said.

This season does require a few adaptations due to Covid-19 but for the most part is similar to years past.

“Our training for our workouts is pretty much the same, workout wise and intensity wise. The only difference is getting temp checks before practice and wearing masks in the vans when we’re going somewhere,” Miller said.

Miller has been running cross country since she was in seventh grade.

“Last season was definitely an eye opener for me. It was my first year running at the college level,” Miller said, “You’re running against different people that you haven’t ran against but it is a lot of fun.”

Mostly considered an individual sport, cross country is also a team sport.

“It’s a mental sport, so you have to be strong mentally to push yourself farther in a race,” Miller said.

“What I enjoy most is probably the team aspect of it,” Miller said. “Like for cross country, I like getting to meet new people and just becoming closer as a group through doing our workouts and being around each other.”

Racing to the finish line is Izzy Wheeler, Belleville. HutchinsonCC earned third place at the Terry Masterson Twilight Classic.

Making her way through the last lap is Noel Hidalgo, Hooker, Okla. The meet took place at Fun Valley Sports Complex in Hutchinson on Sept. 4.