Bartlesville Magazine Spring 2023

bartlesville Magazine

I n this spring issue of Bartlesville Magazine, we focus on continued learning and its benefits. Continued learning keeps our minds engaged, our bodies active, teaches us new skills, provides us with new experiences and keeps our neural pathways open — which is incredibly important.

T hese pathways are created based on our habits and behaviors. As we continue learning, new pathways are built and reinforced as we repeat behaviors. When we quit practicing or continuing a skill, the neural pathway is “disconnected.” Our brains are constantly growing and changing, and they’re highly adaptable.

F or example, studies have shown that taxi drivers have a larger hippocampus than bus drivers. Due to traveling many different routes in their daily activities, taxi drivers need better spatial awareness than their busdriving counterparts. Sidenote: I have to believe these studies were conducted before the consistent use of Google Maps, GPS and Waze.

C heck out this issue’s articles to see why the continued art of learning is essential, beneficial and even life-changing. I will wrap up with a few spring facts that prove there is always something to learn.

D rinking alcohol stimulates mosquito attraction.

A ccording to a Facebook study, couples break up most frequently in early spring.

A lthough baby birds are born with the ability to sing, they usually don’t learn how until spring, when they hear other birds chirping while looking for a mate.

T he first full moon in March is known as the “Worm Moon.”

D uring spring break, South Padre Island averages 25 arrests a day and collects approximately $80,000 in fines.

Jamie Unkenholz Publisher, Bartlesville Magazine

“ Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.”

Mark Twain

Non-Traditional Students : A growing trend

by Gregory Burnett

Kelli Croucher is an admissions counselor for the graduate and professional studies department at Oklahoma Wesleyan University (OKWU).

She stays busy visiting job fairs and meeting with people who want to return to school to earn a degree, enhance their skills, or better their well-being.

But, as most know, it’s daunting to know where to start when deciding to take classes.

“So, when someone comes to us thinking about going to college or saying someone suggested that I go back to college — there’s usually a lot of anxiety [and] unknowns and it can be terrifying,” Croucher said. “I say it’s infrequent for a

student to come to me without many different questions. Most are unaware of the steps you must take to enroll. It’s the anxiety brought on by the fear of the unknown. Since the students I serve are between 30 [and] 45, they have established lives with spouses, teenagers, and aging parents to care for.”

Maybe you want to take one class, like an art class. Croucher said her phone rings or she gets emails from people who want to try something new almost daily. Any course that’s offered can be audited. Also, the university has students who are not seeking a degree but can gain credits for a class if they decide to get a degree in the

future.

“I opened an email this morning from someone that wanted to take one class with us,”

Croucher said. “A lot of individuals reaching out are looking for personal development. NDS (non-degree seeking) students can complete a course without declaring a degree – this would go on their OKWU transcript for credit.”

OKWU Pro is a program that allows students to work at their own speed

while considering their obligation to family and work. According to the OKWU website, the university offers more than 350 concise, affordable, and selfpaced online courses designed to help students enhance their credentials, earn professional certifications and badges, or explore an area of career interest while balancing the demands of a busy life. Whether someone is looking for an alter -

native to full-time college or thinking about making a career change, OKWU Pro has a program for them.

For as little as $39, anyone can find a program that helps them learn new skills, earn more, and become more confident and marketable for promotions. The university sorted its certificate programs into several topics to make finding the programs a student is looking for easier.

Brice Crawford is a non-traditional student who attended several different schools after graduating high school. But, when personal circumstances arose, she had to drop out of

Croucher: ‘When someone comes to us thinking about going to college ... there’s usually a lot of anxiety [and] unknowns’

Kelli Croucher, an admissions counselor at OKWU, is surrounded by her family. Provided see • OKWU • page 8

Photos: Adobe Stock

school. She’s now taking classes at OKWU.

“What drove me to return to school was my six-year-old daughter,” Crawford said. “She’s the coolest kid you’ll ever meet and smart. There are some challenges, but that’s expected. But, it’s been really great. I feel very accomplished. Of course, it’s going to be some stress,

especially as an adult going back to school. It’s been nine years since I last was in this setting.”

Crawford was able to structure her classes so that she could attend in person for the

most part, as opposed to online. She attends once a week for four hours. She finishes some assignments online but enjoys the camaraderie of being in the classroom, she said.

If you are procrastinating about making a change to improve your outlook, keep in mind that there will never be a perfect time.

“I’ve been wanting to go back to school for years, but I always had an excuse,” Crawford said. “I have a young child; I’m working a full-time job. There’s never going to be a perfect time. Just jump in and get it done. Forge ahead, in other words.”

“I’ve been wanting to go back to school for years, but I always had an excuse...There’s never going to be a perfect time. Just jump in and get it done. non-traditional student

Brice Crawford

S PRING IS IN THE AIR

L ET THE NICE WEATHER MOTIVATE YOU TO LEARN A NEW SKILL FOR FUN

by Laurie A. Luebbert

With nicer weather just around the corner, you might want to consider picking up some new skills to add to your menu of fun.

You don’t need nice weather for these things, but the longer days and warmer temps tend to get us motivated. Take advantage of it.

Other articles in this issue talk about how learning new things are good for keeping your neurological skills sharp, but how about finding different ways to get out and socialize? Most of these can be done indoors or outdoors, and you can start at a basic level and progress at your own pace.

One of the more popular pastimes in the Midwest is a game called cornhole, and it doesn’t take a huge investment to start. You will probably have to pay to play because the various leagues around Bartlesville have to pay fees to rent time at a location, but it doesn’t require a lot of equipment.

Cornhole gets its name from the fact that it once required bean bags filled with dried corn kernels, and you toss the bags into a hole. It actually has evolved into a professional sport. But, when it comes to a local night out, there are several options.

Keith Wiersig with the Bartlesville Cornhole League said his group meets every Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. at Top Notch – an indoor baseball facility that lets you hone your cornhole skills on AstroTurf. Besides the weekly fun sessions, the league holds tournaments and travels to competitive play meets.

The league doesn’t require you to be part of a team. Individuals can show up on Wednesday night and randomly be paired off with others for a few starter games. After those results come in, a standings box is set up and the competition gets started.

The evening of fun starts at $10 but added contests, like the Airmail Challenge, require a person to buy tickets to compete. The good thing about that, though, is you can win the pot.

Cornhole’s premise is simple. Two cornhole platforms are placed 27 feet apart. Players stand by each platform and toss the bean bags to try to get them into the hole of the distant board. Pros actually strategize,

but for a night of fun for newcomers, it pretty much comes down to a little luck.

It’s a good way to meet people.

“We usually have 45 to 55 on average,” Wiersig said. “We started in September with more than 200 different people coming to play. I’d say 60 to 70 come pretty consistently. Once summertime hits, I’m pretty sure it will take off.”

On a given night, you’re likely to play with a dozen or so different people because of the partner changes. So, within a couple of visits, you’ll have met most of the regulars.

Elsewhere, J.D. Hammond is looking to capitalize on the growing popularity of the sport. He plans to open Board Therapy soon. At the end of January, he estimated having the site at 720 E. Durham Rd. in Dewey open before the spring. Various leagues play different nights of the week, but Hammond wants to give people a venue that’s more dedicated to cornhole.

If a solitary pursuit is more fitting, consider

Cornhole is a popular pastime in the Midwest and the Bartlesville area offers various leagues and fun play. Artaxerxes/Wikimedia Commons

Though most of her students are high school age or younger, D’Lynn Everett teaches all ages. She said people shouldn’t let age deter them from learning to play an instrument. Everett Music Studio/Facebook

painting (or any artistic endeavor), woodworking (or other craftsmanship activities), or something for pure entertainment, like juggling.

Juggling is about more than tossing three balls these days, as there are many variations. You can check out a montage of the top 40 jugglers of 2022 on YouTube to get a sampling of how jugglers adapt the basics to personalize the hobby as their skill level progresses.

If you dream of the idea of performing in front of people but you’re not coordinated enough to juggle, consider learning to play a musical instrument. They say music soothes the savage beast. D’Lynn Everett of Everett Music Studio might not put it quite that way, but she did say it works wonders for all ages.

Everett acknowledges that learning something new keeps older people’s brains active. She said she has noticed that in the case of someone who suffered a stroke, for example, it helps build new neural pathways. Likewise, for children with attention deficit disorder or autism, it can help bring them to a level where they can deal better with people and circumstances that previously were difficult.

Everett graduated from Oral Roberts University and went to grad school at Oklahoma Wesley-

an University. She was a singer at Walt Disney World for more than 10 years. She said when someone comes in without knowing what direction they want to take, she likes to assess them to get an idea of what type of instrument might be a good fit for them. Learning to play the ukulele, for example, is different from learning to play the piano in terms of the skills each instrument requires and builds. She said her career pursuit has been worth more than the money she has made, allowing her to forge strong relationships with the people in town.

When you’re looking for a music teacher, you should be aware that each one has different strengths. Everett, for example, has been known to work with challenging youngsters that other instructors have sent to her. She

said she doesn’t object to working with children who get bored with one instrument and want to change regularly.

“The more you do, the better you get as long as you have solid coaching and instruction,” Everett said when asked to explain her philosophical approach.

Her record of success speaks for itself, as some of her students have made it on Broadway or “American Idol.”

Depending on the type of music you want to learn, Samantha Williamson with Pearlgrace & Co. is a professional performer who works to teach her trade to others, too.

Take a look around to see what your community offers. You’re bound to find something that catches your interest, helps stimulate your mind, and gets you out to meet people.

Adobe Stock

Psych experiments give insights into how we learn and remember

by Laurie A. Luebbert

The road to understanding the inner workings of the human mind must be akin to bicycling up the Alpe d’Huez during the Tour de France — lots of twists and turns and an uphill climb.

Scientists have taken on the task of finding out how the brain works, not just in terms of learning facts, but also when it comes to learning social behaviors, and they’ve made some progress in the past decades.

When you hear about things like people giving in to peer pressure, that’s not just some lame excuse people have used for ages to explain mistakes in judgment; it’s actually a real, albeit intangible, thing. And if you’ve ever wondered how police and lawyers can make you question your own memory with respect to something you saw or heard, we now know that a few words can make a big difference.

Psychology annals are filled with studies that go a long way toward shedding light on how the human brain processes a multitude of external factors before influencing how we act and how we learn.

Notably, one finding shows that people allow others to influence their decision-making, even errantly, while a couple of others show how something as simple as how a question is worded

can color one’s recollection.

GO ALONG TO GET ALONG

Movie fans might recall that in “Dead Poets Society,” John Keating (played by Robin Williams) takes his class of preparatory high school students out on the quad and asks a few of them to stroll around at their leisure. Pretty soon, those boys start marching in lockstep, with others clapping in unison

as Keating calls cadence.

“You notice everyone started off with their own stride, their own pace,” Keating says. “… I brought them up here to illustrate the point of conformity: the difficulty in maintaining your own beliefs in the face of others. Now, those of you – I see the look in your eyes like, ‘I would’ve walked differently’ – well, ask yourselves why you were clapping.”

He went on to explain that a human’s need for acceptance is the driving force behind such behavior.

Apparently, Williams’ character wasn’t off base. A Solomon Asch conformity experiment shows the power of social pressure in terms of how it compels people to conform in order to

be accepted. Asch set out to show how someone’s answer to simple questions was often influenced by others, even in the face of the majority of others giving the decidedly wrong answer.

His experiment differed from an earlier one by Muzafer Sherif, whose test involved judgment while Asch’s relied on fairly straightforward data. Asch set out to prove that other people’s opinions would not matter in a more fact-based situation, but the results showed otherwise.

Asch attributed this willingness to go along with the crowd to a fear of disapproval from others. Some respondents said they went along with the groupthink to avoid standing out and others said they thought that

since the majority of others thought differently, their own answer must be wrong or they must have misunderstood the objective of the test.

Williams’ character advises his charges to “trust that your beliefs are unique – your own – even though others may think them odd or unpopular.” If everyone always went with the most popular way of thinking, the species would have a harder time adapting and conquering new frontiers.

DID YOU SEE THAT?

The mind can play tricks on you in terms of recall, too, and not just when it comes to things like forgetting someone’s name.

When you watch reports about newsworthy events,

In the movie “Dead Poets Society,” John Keating (played by Robin Williams) teaches his class about conformity. YouTube.com

you’ve probably noticed that witnesses often give different accounts of the incident. One person might have noticed something that nobody else mentions, and they might have conflicting recollections about some details.

Elizabeth Loftus and John Palmer teamed up for a series of experiments in the early 1970s to shed light on the phenomenon. One thing they determined was that the wording of questions often influenced the person’s recall of the incident.

Respondents watched a series of videos showing a car crash.

When asked afterward, results indicated that the verb used in the question (“About how fast were the cars going when they collided/bumped/hit/smashed each other?”) affected the person’s perception of the speed.

As a corollary to that, Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons conducted what they called the Invisible Gorilla experiment to exemplify how, sometimes, our neurology makes us think we have seen one thing when video disproves what could have been seen. They call this

“selective attention.”

“Our intuition is that we will notice something that’s that visible, that’s that distinctive, and that intuition is consistently wrong,” Simons said about the findings.

Take a look at two of the key videos related to the Invisible Gorilla experiment on this website. Chances are that when you watch the first video, if you’re familiar with the study, you’ll say, “I saw it” and not think much of the theory. But, when you watch the second video, you might be in for a surprise when you see how

selective attention works.

One of the points brought out in that study was that, throughout history, human brains have adapted to meet current needs. Because humans take in so much information on a daily basis, it’s only natural that we would filter out the less necessary information. Today, for example, people don’t need to know how to survive in a hunter-gatherer society; thousands of years ago, it wasn’t normal to drive down a highway at 60 mph, and the brain has evolved to help people survive as circumstances change.

Preparing for life with survival skills like martial arts and CPR requires training.

The Buffalo Bills player whose life was spared was not the first person to experience cardiac arrest while playing professional sports.

Last June, Danish soccer player Christian Eriksen collapsed during a 2020 European Championship match in Denmark. His life was saved with defibrillation, according to media reports.

But, when safety Damar Hamlin collapsed during an NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals, it was mouth-tomouth resuscitation by a fellow human

being that saved his life.

Medics rushed to his aid; CNN reported that assistant athletic trainer Denny Kellington administered the life-saving measure.

In both cases, the professional athletes survived due to prompt medical attention and the skill

of other people who were standing by.

“Denny Kellington – let’s praise this name and person for reviving our brother Damar on the field,” Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Dion Dawkins said on Twitter. “Denny gave CPR and chest com -

pressions to get his heart back beating.”

CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) was discovered as an effective means of survival in 1960 by Drs. Peter Safar and James Elam and has been used since then.

It is the citizens of Bartlesville who save lives with their immediate recognition of CPR, according to Barry Campbell, a local CPR instructor.

“CPR is a survival skill,” he said. “In cardiac arrest, every minute that goes by, the patient is up to 10% less likely to survive, so immediate recognition in CPR gives that person the chance to survive and restore brain

‘You want to make sure that you’re getting trained by a reputable organization that’s done the research’ Barry Campbell, local CPR instructor.

by Juliette Fairley

function.”

Bartlesville Fire Department data shows that the standing on-scene time with a local ambulance is three to five minutes.

“So, if it’s been three to five minutes, you’re 30 to 50% less likely to survive that cardiac event than if immediate CPR was recognized and started,” Campbell told Bartlesville Magazine Campbell teaches mouth-to-mouth resuscitation at Oklahoma State University (OSU) Fire Service Training, the American Heart Association, and Tri-County Tech as an adjunct

instructor.

“The American Heart Association and the American Red Cross both give a certification with their class,” he said.

“The American Heart Association is recognized by the state health department, so if you’re a licensed provider or an organization that requires a certificate, American Heart Association is typically what they want to see.”

But, CPR is not just about mouth-tomouth resuscitation.

“You want to make sure that you’re getting trained by a reputable organization that’s done

the research and education behind the importance of the needs for CPR, how to correctly perform CPR, and the use of an automatic external defibrillator,” Campbell said.

“The American Heart Association not only does all the research behind it, but they also give information for the state health department, the National Registry, and everything on cardiac science and cardiac early defibrillation.”

The National Registry is America’s emergency medical services certification organization.

Another handy survival skill is martial arts. Houston Stout owns the Pan -

theon Martial Arts school and teaches mixed martial arts (MMA) classes there.

“There are some gyms in the area that don’t do sparring or grappling, so their students don’t ever use what they’ve been training to do,” Stout said. “How can you possibly know if a skill works if you’ve literally never used it and you’ve only punched a punching bag?”

Stout started out teaching at the local Bartlesville YMCA until he launched his own martial arts school in 2007. It is located on Washington Boulevard in Washington Park Mall.

“My father was a

very violent person and I watched a lot of people look away from that rather than try to help, so I thought to myself that when I get older, I want to make sure that I’m the guy that can be there for somebody if I’m ever in a situation where I see violence,” he said.

Stout recommends avoiding schools that promote ego and bravado.

“There are some schools with a lot of egos that are really more focused on trying to create a pecking order of who the baddest guy in the gym is versus being helpful to students,” he told Bartlesville Magazine .

Pantheon hosts MMA events at the Washington Park Mall for all ages and genders. Stout’s nine-year-old daugh -

ter, an undefeated kickboxer, is a former Oklahoma state judo champion who ranked second in the nation two years ago.

“A gym that’s not qualified will typically have a revolving door of people,”

Stout said. “My longest-time student that I have right now was actually the very first student that ever walked through my door! He’s been training with me since he was 16 years old. Now, he’s 32 years old.”

The most popular beneficial skills students learn in a scouting organization involve building a fire outdoors, according to Eric Meier, director of camps and outdoor programs with Camp Fire in Green Country, which encompasses Tulsa as

well as northeastern Oklahoma.

“We teach ‘how do you build a fire if all your wood is wet’ and ‘how do you build a fire that is primarily for heat as opposed to for cooking,’” Meier said.

“That’s a good skill to have because there’s always that challenge of ‘how you build a fire if you don’t have a match’ and how you keep the fire going.”

Formerly known as Camp Fire Girls, Camp Fire is the equivalent of Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts combined. The nonsectarian organization, which became co-ed in 1975, specializes in camping and other outdoor activities.

“Going into third grade is our youngest kids, on up to seniors in high school,”

Meier told Bartlesville

Magazine . “So, we have campers that have been coming for eight or nine years every year and have built on their skillsets. Going into their junior and senior year in high school, they can join our Counselor in Training (CIT) program, which develops their leadership skills.”

Meier recommends reviewing the American Camp Association’s website before deciding on a camp.

“The benefit of going to a camp that is accredited through the American Camps Association is that we go through annual processes to make sure that we are functioning in a safe way and that we are prioritizing the use of safety, education, and well-being,” he said.

Denny Killington saved Damar Hamlin with CPR. Twitter

Adobe Stock

Yoga

Thepatientpathtowell-being

by Gregory Burnett

Many people who practice yoga adamantly believe in its healing power. It takes your mind and spirit into a place of peace and relaxation. If you don’t know the benefits of this ancient form of exercise, Denise Means, yoga instructor at Melting Spot Yoga, offers some education.

“The proactive of yoga itself is integrating into who you are with your body, mind, and breath,” Means said. “The posture lends itself to a more relaxed version of yourself. Yoga has a lot of benefits. When you practice yoga at the Melting Spot, we want to create a space for relaxation. There is so much stress around

us and we are constantly being asked to do something. Our bodies are in fight or flight mode. Yoga helps get us out of that by calming our body and soul.”

Once you learn the techniques involved with yoga, people are amazed at how great they feel when leaving the studio, Means said. So, when you leave and go back to the outside world, you are more relaxed and able to practice these relaxation skills. She said it gives you a calm, peaceful feeling you don’t see in the outside world.

There are many benefits to using yoga as a stress buster — but, you must be patient.

“When you are practicing yoga, you are moving your body into a mindful state,” Means said. “You are connecting to your higher order of awareness. It helps you create a more focused way of direction. It gives more purpose and direction. Yoga starts with an intention and using breathwork, and you become integrated into your body. Yoga brings you back to yourself, that space within you. That ultimately makes you feel calm and whole.”

The time it takes to feel like you can breathe better depends on how often you practice the methods. If you commit yourself to it, you will start looking at yourself more non-judgmentally after a few weeks, Means said.

“Everyone is different, but I’ll say if you come to the practice [you will be] unconscious

of the breath and the movements in your body,” she said. “It would take a few weeks to build that sense of awareness back. Every class begins with a class of awareness. We want to stress the idea of slowly transitioning from the outside world. We slowly guide everyone to that space of relaxation and being present.”

Melting Spot Yoga has two different rooms to help people focus on their technique in a quiet place if they desire to do so. With four other signature classes, participants can choose what fits them best.

Is yoga somewhat linked to therapy?

“I would say, ‘Yes, there are connections between yoga and therapy,’” Means said. “There are yoga teachers that have a therapeutic background. They do connect in many ways.”

‘The proactive of yoga itself is integrating into who you are with your body, mind, and breath’

Denise Means, Yoga instructor

‘Networking is critical to a successful career’

by Gregory Burnett

Networking is an essential part of life — whether you are seeking a job, starting a business, or looking for a plumber.

Having a contact list full of people who can move your agenda forward is crucial.

Jana Russell, an academic advising and Oklahoma Wesleyan University (OKWU) prep coordinator, said that everyone networks. In simple terms,

networking is simply supportive relationships between people.

"These relationships allow us to connect with resources to which we do not have access on our own," she said. "The term 'networking' has a negative connotation with some because they feel it is using or taking advantage of others. I think it helps to view networking from the lens of 'how can I serve/help others.'

Every person has connections others may find beneficial. Regardless of the term used, networking is critical to a successful career."

Most jobs are filled through networking.

"People hire people they know," Russell said. Numbers do count. The more extensive your network, the more likely you will know someone who can connect you to the resource

you need.

"As an introvert, I find it incredibly difficult to network," Russell said. "When I'm at a 'networking'-titled event, my focus is on getting to know people. I look through the lens of getting to know them and [how I] can serve or help them. It is easier for me to focus on serving than receiving. Regardless of one's approach, the goal is to increase your relationships with people."

One situation where networking is key is finding employment.

"If you are starting a new career or business, you may identify areas for which you do not currently have what you need to reach your goals," Russell said. "In that case, you may identify the need and focus on developing relationships with people who can connect

you."

Like relationships, networking needs to be nurtured to thrive. Goals are achieved faster when you reach out to those with deeper connections than yourself. Remember the satisfaction we get when helping others? Nurture your network by staying in touch on the phone or through email or discussions over lunch.

"In the class I

Jana Russell is an academic advising and OKWU prep coordinator. Provided (All other images: adobe Stock)

teach, the students develop a networking spreadsheet," Russell said. "It includes the person's contact information, key points about the relationship, information about the person, and date of last contact. Network contacts should be interacted with regularly. It is hard to develop a hard and fast formula. However, if a person is in your network, you should connect with them at least twice a year."

Keep in mind that everyone is a potential contact. It could be the CEO of Ford, your congressman, or the waiter that served your lunch. You

look for connection points when you see everyone as a possible network contact. Networks are built on connection points.

"In my book From Stumbling to Soaring: Lose Your Job, Find Your Future, Grow Your Faith , I talk about the importance of a network in preventing job loss and surviving it," Russell said. "I have a section called Make Time to Know People. People don't operate in a vacuum. They seldom reach success without any help. I would argue that the most successful people have the largest networks or relationships."

PHYSICAL THERAPY

Q: How Can I Avoid Hurting

After Gardening?

A: Gardening injuries, such as muscle strains and over exertion, are common and can be avoided. Work at a comfortable pace and take frequent rest breaks. If you feel you can do the activity all day you are working at a good pace. If you are tired then rest for 2-3 minutes and drink water to cool your body. Don’t over do it! Also, use good body mechanics by lifting with your legs, keeping things close to your body, and avoiding twisting. You can be evaluated and treated by a Physical Therapist for thirty days WITHOUT A REFERRAL from a physician. Give us a call to make an appointment today.

Matthew Hathaway, MPT • EXCEL Therapy Specialists 512 SE Washington Blvd. Bartlesville, OK 74006

918-333.4343