The Flare 21 061618 High School Edition

Friday, JuneInside 8, 2018

Friday, June 8, 2018

Page 2

Page 4

Summer Sport Activities

Upward Bound Courtlyn Brown/ THE FLARE

Kyle Stallard / THE FLARE

The Flare

Museums On Campus Page 6 Malayna Stewart / THE FLARE

Saturday, June 16, 2018 Vol. 81 No. 21 Serving Kilgore College since 1936

Operation Orientation

Summer program helps prospective students S.O.A.R at KC

I

KASEY WHITENACK Staff Reporter

n preparation for the upcoming academic year, incoming KC students tour the campus and learn more about the college process through Orientation.

The most recent session was held Wednesday, June 6. The next opportunity will be Wednesday, July 11.

“Orientation is a way to get students familiar with all of the aspects of Kilgore College,” said Ronda Lee, Learning Specialist and director of The Zone tutoring lab. “A major part of orientation is ‘Access KC’ and that is where we learn about all the different programs the college has to offer. Another part of orientation is ‘Advising’ where students speak with an advisor who specializes in whatever field they are majoring in. The third part is the tour. So we will get you familiar with your goals, where you’re going in the future, how to get there, and also how to operate while you are here on your journey at Kilgore College.”

Student Orientation And Registration (S.O.A.R) is mandatory for all first time students and those transferring with less than 12 college credits. Students who come to orientation will receive a backpack, T-shirt, and a flash drive pre-loaded with the information taught at the meetings.

“Without orientation, they would not know how to login into our system that we use to view student information, progress, graduation status, whatever,” Lee said. “They wouldn’t know how to access BlackBoard or even how that works.

Students still have to do discussion boards on Blackboard even though they are present in class. Without orientation, they wouldn’t be familiar with that at all and these are some necessary things that we talk about.”

By doing online orientation, which costs $50, instead of on-campus orientation ($40), students do not have the chance to learn the computer systems, finalize schedules or meet with an advisor — all in one day.

“Let’s say you want to come to Kilgore and you did online orientation to satisfy that

Carlie Massey / THE FLARE

Sydni Borders explains the history of the Old Main Building, Kilgore College’s oldest building and original classroom setting. Borders took the group outside to view the facade as part of the campus tour given to students and visitors during summer Orientation sessions. requirement,” said Jimmy Rieves, Director of Student Success/Athletics.

“Now you have to set up a time to talk to an advisor about your schedule, then a different time to talk to financial aid, then another time to talk to housing, then another time to get your ID and your parking pass. On orientation day, we take care of all of that in one day. If you come

and you are ready to go on orientation day, when you walk out all you will have to do is show up for your first class.”

According to surveys given to parents and students of the 2017 summer orientations, 57 percent of those polled “Strongly Agreed” that they were satisfied with the orientation process and 39 percent marked “Agreed.”

“I’m sure that there are people who are

not satisfied, but the ones who are really dedicated to a good educational experience appreciate a good orientation,” Rieves said.

“If they are a serious student, then they will walk away satisfied. Parents and students will say this was a great experience and some parents with other students that have gone to other college orientations say this is See Orientation, Page 3

Star Art Raw steel becomes campus beauties with help of multiple disciplines

Taylor Cundieff / THE FLARE

The 10.5 foot stars were created as a joint effort between Industrial Maintenance Technology on the Longview campus, and Welding students on the Kilgore campus. The first of two completed stars is sitting in the Auto Body Repair classroom awaiting a custom paint job by instructor Joel Laws and his students this summer.

COLBY ASKEW Staff Writer

T

he Auto Body Repair class is not just about painting cars these days.

The class is currently helping with the planned installation of a 10.5 foot-tall star structure featuring the KC logo. It is planned to debut on the KC campus (with a complementary piece on the Longview campus) sometime this year.

Dr. Mike Jenkins began the ball rolling on this project by commissioning several of the campus classes to design a landmark for photo opportunities — similar to items seen on university campuses, recalled D’Wayne Shaw, dean of public services and industrial technologies.

Industrial Maintenance, located on the Longview campus, began the project.

Cody Edwards’ welding class took over the fabrication. Together the two groups created a work totaling nearly one-ton of steel, between the star and the letters.

The Auto Body Repair instructor, Joel Laws, will assume the duties of specially Taylor Cundieff / THE FLARE

painting the structure to look like marble.

“This is not usually what we do; automotive is what we all do,” Laws said as he pointed out custom hoods hanging around the shop.

“However, we don’t just do cars.” ”The paint on the first star is going to be Kilgore blue, white, and grey; the KC will be blue and wrap around with a marble finish.

“I’ve got one more that’s ready to go over at the Welding Shop,” Laws added. “We’re just waiting on (this one) to be completed.”

The KC letters were specially designed to be bolted inside the star. The entire structure will then be bolted to a concrete pad when it is decided where they will be placed, Shaw said.

Laws, in particular, is proud of his class for rising to the challenge.

“They really did a good job. It is coming along well,” Laws said.

An artist at heart, Laws sees the collaborative project as an example of what can happen when everyone’s talents are put to use.

“Anything you can think of, you can do,” he said.

FACE IN THE CROWD

MANNY ALMANZA Hometown: El Paso Age: 55 Job: Coordinator of Marketing Operations and Outreach and the Voice of Ranger Athletics If you could have dinner with anyone living or dead, who would it be?

My mom and dad.

What quirks do you have?

Checking my pepper plants at home more than once a day.

What fictional place would you most like to go?

The Bat Cave.

What fad or trend do you hope will come back?

I was going to say bell-bottom pants, but they are already making a comeback.

Where is the most interesting place you’ve been?

Boston, Massachusetts.

What’s the single best day on the calendar?

Christmas Day.

Where would you spend all your time if you could?

Split between home and a sports venue.

What is something you will never do again?

Eat raw meat.

How did you choose your career?

I always wanted to do sports broadcasting since I was young.

Compiled By: CATHERINE BLACK

PAGE TWO OU R TE E N S

BY TH E N U M B E RS

42

n 42 percent of teens say they can text with their eyes closed.

Source: Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project

Catherine Black / THE FLARE

THE FLARE SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 2018

7.5

n Millennials spend

7.5 percent of their food budget eating out, more than any other generation.

2,000

Source: Business Insider

n The number of girls on

high school football teams has doubled to more than 2,000 in the last 10 years.

Source: Teen Vogue “Girls in the Game” series.

Students use summer to prep with purpose College’s Upward Bound program gives qualified high schoolers extra instruction, incentive OLIVIA ARP Staff Writer

Kyle Stallard / THE FLARE

Martin Hernandez takes notes in chemistry class. The six-week long study part of the program prepares students for more rigorous high school coursework.

Martin Hernandez wants to go to college one day, but the odds are stacked against him. He comes from a low-income family and no one in his family has ever attended college. He wants to be the first and now, thanks to the KC Upward Bound program, maybe he can.

Hernandez just finished his freshman year at Kilgore High School.

“My mom made it to fifth grade and my dad made it to high school,” Hernandez said.

The odds were stacked against his parents. Both lived in poverty and were lucky to make it as far as they did.

“My mom had nine siblings with only their mother and they lived in extreme poverty,” Hernandez said. “My dad’s family also lived in poverty because he had ten or more siblings.”

Hernandez’s eighth grade year he was offered the opportunity to apply for a program called Upward Bound.

“Most of our students are economically disadvantaged and/ or to be first generation college students,” said Jude Dubois, TRIO Director for Upward Bound.

The program gives low-income students an opportunity for a stronger secondary education. It encourages students to strive for more than the basics while having the resources to make that happen available.

“The program has been the key to a door I thought I never would have been able to open without it,” Hernandez said. “It has not only opened my mind to a bigger and

better future, but has given me the tools and motivation to reach a better future.”

Upward Bound provides education support services such as tutoring, applying for colleges and getting scholarships. They fund all this support through a government grant.

“We have a month to write a federal grant to get funding for our program,” Project Advisor for Upward Bound, Halen Dorsey, said. “It’s a very intense situation because everything is closely judged and one mistake can get your grant discarded.”

Upward Bound writes a five-year $1.3 million grant. This grant pays for teachers, students and the trips the students go on.

“Our purpose is to focus on how to make students successful,” Dorsey said. “We want them to be successful academically but we also want them to be better students of life.”

Students who go through this program not only learn how to be better students and better people, but also learn they are better than their circumstances.

“Since joining the program, my grades have gone from A’s and B’s to straight A’s and that’s totally rad,” Hernandez said.

“The program motivated me to work hard for what I want and eliminated problems that I had such as procrastination.”

The tutoring and summer classes help most of these students improve their grades and be more prepared for the upcoming school year.

“Our students take core classes during the six-week summer session,” Dubois said. “They take

classes from English 1 through 4 to Spanish 1 through 4.”

This program is about more than just college prep. Many students make friendships and do things they never imagined they would do. Many students discover themselves through the program.

“Because of this program, I saw things in myself that I hadn’t seen before and probably wouldn’t have,” said Jair Hilburn, former Kilgore High School and Upward Bound student who graduated in 2016. Hilburn now goes to Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia and is the editor of the Maroon Tiger, the college’s newspaper.

The students also visit college campuses on weekends and go on major trips every few years.

During the 2017-2018 school year, the program traveled to Washington D.C. “My favorite trip was the Washington D.C. trip,” Hernandez said. “I loved it there. I got to see famous monuments and visit incredible museums I most likely never would have seen without Upward Bound.”

Students also gain a strong support system through the program. Teachers and leaders encourage the students as much as possible to keep morale up.

“I realized I had a lot of support,” Hilburn said. “I realize now that I had something I didn’t realize I needed. I had a cheerleader backing me up and it was Jude.”

Hernandez wants to go to college.

He wants to fulfill his parents’ wish of him going to college. That’s his main promise to his parents and because of Upward Bound, he can make that happen.

Courtlyn Brown / THE FLARE

Above: Mariya Mitchell listens as KC English instructor, Heather Fitch, breaks down grammar and sentence structure for the high-schoolers in class.

Right: Ronda Howe, KC chemistry instructor, teaches a lesson to her tenth grade class before they conduct an experiment in the campus lab.

Courtlyn Brown / THE FLARE

The Flare Summer Staff High School Staff: Olivia Arp- Kilgore HS Colby Askew- Union Grove HS Erin Benson- Sabine HS Catherine Black - Leverett’s Chapel Courtlyn Brown - Kilgore HS Gracie Casey- Sabine HS Taylor Cundieff - Sabine HS Jacob Lucas - Kilgore HS Carlie Massey - Kilgore HS Kyle Stallard - Kilgore HS Malayna Stewart - Sabine HS Kasey Whitenack - Longview HS

DISCLAIMER

Journalism Adviser Rachel Stallard Photography Assistant Tiffany Johnson Flare Student Assistants Allison Taliaferro (advertising) Adriana Cisneros-Emerson (editing) Jamie Hwang (layout)

THE FLARE -SUMMER EDITION is a special edition of the student newspaper of Kilgore College published by high school students as part of a college-approved workshop. Staff members are former Flare students and current faculty.

Comments and views expressed in THE FLARE reflect the thoughts of the individual writers, and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or opinions of other students, staff members, faculty members, administrative officers or the Board of Trustees.

Tiffany Johnson / THE FLARE

The Flare Summer Camp staff poses for a group picture following a last-day pizza party. The students covered campus events from June 4-8 while also attending workshops conducted by Flare alumni working in the journalism profession.

SPECIAL THANKS: The staff members would like to publicly thank: Bill Woodall at Kilgore News Herald for sponsoring this issue by printing 3,000 copies and inserting it into the KNH’s weekend edition; Ross Bennett (and Smedley) at Kilgore Screen Printing for the great work on our t-shirts; and our local high school teachers for their work keeping journalism relevant on our campuses. Thank you!

PAGE

3

THE FLARE SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 2018

NEWS

Building holds more than books College library houses coffee shop, computers, comfy couches GRACIE CASEY Staff Writer ome students may have the mind set that the Randolph C. Watson Library is just an old building used to hold dusty books. But following a visit to the library located on the west side of the college campus, one would see this is just not the case.

“Our library has different levels of use since we are an education library,” said Kathy Fair, library director.

The first level was designed to be a hangout. It houses KC Brew, which sells Starbucks brand drinks. It also has modern furniture with outlets for charging phones and other electronic devices.

It’s also air-conditioned.

Upstairs is an enclosed area that holds the traditional books one would

S

Malayna Stewart / THE FLARE

Rowdy, the Ranger mascot, hangs out in the library with a prospective student during student orientation held Wednesday, June 6. Students use the library to hang out, study and relax.

Orientation: Student Leader Serve as Mentors cont. from Page 1 the most efficient orientation they’ve ever been to.”been to.”

Lee said part of the efficiency comes from the preparation done by the orientation leaders. S.O.A.R. is led by 12 to 15 local KC students who were interviewed and attended a week-long camp to be trained on how to operate and run the orientations.

“I send an email to the parents and the students asking for feedback regarding orientation, and they love the student leaders because of their outgoing personalities,” Lee said. “They say how they make them feel very welcomed. We pick someone who students can look up to in everyday life here at Kilgore College and someone who students will feel comfortable going up to and asking questions.”

Recent KC graduate and current S.O.A.R. group leader Sydni Borders, of Kilgore, recalls being a newbie in the touring group while recounting how excited she is to be leading the group now.

“I started as a new student and knew absolutely nothing about the school and I remember looking up to my orientation leaders as mentors to help me through the transition from high school to college,” Borders said. “Now it is super cool because I get to do that for other students and hopefully have a positive impact on them and their college experience like mine was.”

For Borders, the orientation helped her shift and adjust to the difference in high school education and college education that prepares students to be able to survive in college.

“Most people think that orientation is just the tour, but in reality it’s so much more than that,” Borders said. “Some of the faculty and staff at Kilgore College have set aside time in their schedules to devote all of their attention to our new students. They inform them of important parts of college such as departments, financial aid, advising and extra-curricular activities.”

The process of orientation benefits to students and professors alike. On top of new students learning where they can locate all their classes, they will also have the opportunity to meet their professors and get a feel for what their expectations are.

“They get the opportunity to meet the people who will be there for them throughout their years at KC; people who want to see them succeed,” Borders said. “I believe students who don’t go through orientation, in the end, would be lost.”

Future orientations will be held: Wednesday, July 11; Wednesday,July 18; Saturday, July 28; Wednesday, Aug. 1; Saturday, Aug. 11. Visit kilgore.edu for more information.

expect to find on the shelves.

The second level also offers over 100 papers and 21,402 online subscriptions to students in need of study material.

High school students participating in the dual credit program also have access to them.

“We also offer a variety of databases,” Fair said. “They cover all of the classes that KC has on campus.”

With 80 different databases, there is definitely a variety of resources.

Some of the databases have how-to videos.

Others feature student interaction, giving students a hands-on way to study.

“We constantly have something going on at the library,” Fair said. “We like to keep the students involved.”

One of the most popular events hosted at the library

is the “Day in The Life” speaker series. Staff invite a person whose profession is offered at the college to speak about the nature of their work, giving the students insight to the struggles and advantages of the said profession. Area high school students are sometimes bused into these events.

“I want kids to realize they can use their campus library for more than just books,” Fair says “We are not just a building full of books.”

Library Hours Summer Time Monday, Wednesday 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Thursday 7 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Friday 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Closed Saturday and Sunday KC Brew Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

PAGE

SPORTS

4

THE FLARE SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 2018

Ranger football camp helps students with technique Staff reporter reminisces on his own summers spent competing in Rangerball, football drills JACOB LUCAS Staff Writer

COMMENTARY

t didn’t take very long of covering KC Ranger Football Coach J.J. Eckert’s skills camp for the scent of the heat pounding off the scorched turf pellets to suddenly cause me to reminisce about my days as one of the boys I was currently reporting on.

After interviewing one of my close friends, Jay Copeland, who is now a student coach for the KC football team, we began to discuss the memories we shared as adolescents participating in these same activities. It made both of us feel old as we glanced across the field at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium and watched the children.

I saw many of them participating in the exact drills that I once loved.

From running through the bags, to throwing hitches and slant routes, to the wide outs, the déjà vu was eerie. On the defensive side of the ball, the tackling, fumble recovering and interception drills were the ones I remembered looking forward to.

The expressions on the children’s faces varied throughout the threeand-a-half-hour camp. During the morning stretches, everyone is still baggy-eyed and exhausted.

After the stretching is completed, the kids break into their separate age groups and compete with one another. By the time for drills, most everyone is awake and bursting with energy. After stretching, competing against each other in drills, and many water breaks, the highlight of the day (at least the way I remember it) arrived: Rangerball. Rangerball is a game in which the children split into teams and go against each other in a touch-football style. Everyone has the same goal starting from the beginning of the week; winning a Super Bowl.

This was Copeland’s second season as a student coach, so he shared his perspective of the camp from a coach’s point of view.

“I believe this camp will prepare me for my further endeavors throughout my coaching career,”

I

Taylor Cundieff / THE FLARE

A camper prepares for a drill using the over-sized doughnut on the field. The annual camp gives students the experiences of performing football exercises in a non-tackling environment.

he told me. “My first camp as a coach taught me the art of patience, and this will hopefully get me used to this brutal summer heat.” Copeland elaborated on his position on the field.

“This camp is not only a one-week camp. This coaching staff is one of the best in the nation for preparing kids for the football careers they will be beginning very soon.

“We love to watch the children grow into the athletes we know they are capable of becoming.”

Although my camp years are in the past and I am unable to participate in another round of Rangerball, nothing can erase the memories I have made with those students with whom I attended camps. It will always have a soft spot in my heart for it was always a week that I looked forward to. Even as a 17 year-old taking pictures at the camp, I wanted so badly to put my cleats back on and compete in one more drill.

As I watched the run across the field, I realized that although my time is over, their time is just now beginning.

Kyle Stallard/ THE FLARE

Above: Student coach and former Ranger football camp participant Jay Copeland laces up the shoe of one of his charges. Copeland, a Kilgore High School alumni, is currently studying to be a coach.

Right: Adrian Alford practices proper hitting techniques as he charges a practice opponent prop during morning drills at the camp held June 4-8.

Kyle Stallard / THE FLARE

Sweat inside at Parks Fitness Center family facility BUY A MEMBERSHIP (STUDENTS FREE WITH ID) • Single: $37/MO • Family $47/MO • Senior $20/MO • Senior Family $30/MO. • Student $20/MO. GROUP EXERCISE SCHEDULE MONDAY. 9 a.m.

WATER AEROBICS 11:30 a.m.

BLT 5:15 p.m.

STEP 6 p.m.

SPIN 6 p.m.

HIIT TUESDAY. 11:30 a.m.

UPPER CUT 5:15 p.m.

MUSCLE PUMP 6 p.m.

ZUMBA WEDNESDAY. 9 a.m.

WATER AEROBICS 11:30 a.m.

HIIT 5:15 p.m.

KICK BOXING THURSDAY. 5:15 p.m.

MUSCLE PUMP 6 p.m.

SPIN 6 p.m.

ZUMBA FRIDAY. 6 a.m.

WATER AEROBICS

Courtlyn Brown / THE FLARE

Parks Fitness Center offers modern work-out equipment and flexible hours to keep the entire family fit this summer.

Dive in to swim lessons at PFC pool The City of Kilgore and KC have entered into a partnership to offer swim lessons this summer.

“Swim lessons at the City Pool have been a long-standing tradition in Kilgore. And we certainly aren’t going to let a little construction bring an end to that tradition,” said City Manager Josh Selleck.

Due to the City Pool being under renovation, swim lessons will be held at the Parks Fitness Center on the Kilgore College campus.

As they have been in the past, certified instructors will conduct the lessons.

Lessons are to be held during six weeks throughout the summer and each week will have four time slots to choose from. The first week for swim lessons is June 11 through June 15.

Parks Fitness Center Hours:

“We are excited to partner with the city and have summer swim lessons at Parks Fitness Center.

Being a good community partner is something we strive for at Kilgore College,” said Blake McCrary, Parks Fitness Center manager.

Lessons are also offered the weeks of June 18 – June 22; June 25 – June 29; July 9 – July 13; July 16 – July 20; and July 23 – July 27.

Times for the lessons are 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.; 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.; and 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Registration forms are posted on www.kilgore.edu and www. cityofkilgore.com.

For more information, contact the City of Kilgore at 903-988-4119 or Kilgore College at 903-983-8637.

Monday -Thursday: 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Friday: 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Sunday: 1 - 6 p.m.

Closed on July 4th Pool Hours: Monday -Thursday: 3:30 - 8 p.m.

Friday: 3:30 - 6 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Sunday: 1 - 5 p.m.

Illustration by Gracie Casey / THE FLARE

SPORTS

THE FLARE SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 2018

PAGE

5

Staff helps students score more skills with Softball Camp KC Rangers improve upon hitting, pitching and fielding during summer sessions at facility COLBY ASKEW Staff Reporter

skill we work on,” said Emma Propes, who has played softball for as long as he summer can be hot she can remember. and boring, but when “We have had several parents are looking for repeat kids that come back activities to keep their kids year after year,” according to busy while school’s out, Leslie Messina, KC Rangers KC has some great camp Softball head coach. She opportunities. sees it as a way to be active The KC Softball Team in the community, while was one of those athletic sometimes helping with opportunities designed to recruiting for her college help kids up team. their game “I like to work with “We had two during the Kilgore the kids and love being from off-season.

High School the Staff helped able to give back what very first year young players we did this, I’ve learned.” improve their and then they Ranger Softball came here to knowledge and skills, while play at Kilgore alumni encouraging olle g e,” Bianca Van Vierah. C them to get Messina said. active and grow The KC their love of the game. players and alumni players “I think the coolest thing also return to the camp to about camp is making new help out, including Bianca friends.” said Brylee Finley, Van Vierah, an alumni who a camp participant. batted .358 in her 2014 season The campers split up and as a Ranger and holds the worked on their individual school record (72) for most skills so they also made singles in two seasons. friends who played their “I like to work with the kids same positions. and love being able to give “Splitting up and working back what I’ve learned,” she on pitching is my favorite said.

T

Taylor Cundieff / THE FLARE

Above: KC Ranger Softball team member Imagiyn Arias, from Kilgore, assists student Loren Walls with her pitching technique.

Below: Assistant coach Bianca Van Vlerah shows Maggie Quin how

Check out these camps at KC Rangerette Camp: High School Session 1: 9th College*, June 17-20, High School Session 2: 9th College*, June 21-24, *Grade level is defined as the grade a student is entering in fall of next school year.

INFO: Visit www. r ang erette.com, or call Megan DeHoyos at 903983-8265. Spaces for commuter students still available as of press time.

Girls’ Basketball Camp: August 6-10; $40 (includes T-shirt), Masters Gymnasium (Kilgore campus), for girls ages 5-18 1st-5th grades: 8 to 10 a.m.

6th-8th grades: 10 a.m. to Noon 9th-12th grades: 1 to 4 p.m. *Lady Rangers ‘coaching staff and current Lady Rangers will instruct at the camp.

Brian Hoberecht Boys’ Basketball Camp: July 9-12, $100 per student through June 30. $120 per student after June 30, Masters Gymnasium; for boys ages: 5-17 Check-in & Registration: 8:30 a.m. Monday, July 9 Tops in Twirling Camp: When: June 27-30 Ages: Grades 6-12 Mini Tops in Twirling Camp: When: June 28-30, 2018 (ThursdayS a t u r d a y ) es: Kindergarten thru 2nd Grade Texas Shakespeare Festival High School Acting Workshop: July 14-22; $650 (includes housing, meals and tickets to six shows); Anne Dean Turk Fine Arts Center (Kilgore campus) Ages: High school students who are

serious about taking their work to the next level and seeing what life as a professional actor is really like.

For more info, call 903-983-8613 Music Machine Sacred Music Camp: A one-week interdenominational sacred music summer camp for children who have completed Kinderg ar ten-6th grades.

Aug. 6-11;; Anne Dean Turk Fine Arts Center (Kilgore campus) Registration through 4 p.m. July 3, $165/camper. A $10 discount for first additional sibling from the same family and $5 for each additional sibling. For more info, call 903-983-8146 Visit www.kilgore. edu/camps for additional info on these camps.

to properly field a ground ball.

Triptych by Taylor Cundieff / THE FLARE

Write your story Flare alumni enjoy success at ESPN, Dallas Morning News, dozens of newspapers, blogs and in multitude of other fields

KC

student journalists have won hundreds of individual awards, dozens of Sweepstakes and Best of Show awards and several national honors.

With alumni at scores of newspapers, TV news outlets and on the cutting edges of cyberspace, success doesn’t stop when a new plaque goes

up on the lab wall.

Students working on The Flare, The Ranger Yearbook or The Flare Magazine have a chance to make an immediate impact with writing, photography, design and illustration.

KC journalism students are also eligible for a number of scholarships.

For more information, contact Rachel Stallard, Flare adviser, at 903-983-8194 or by email at rstallard@kilgore.edu and O. Rufus Lovett, Flare photo adviser, at 903-983-8192 or by email at rlovett@kilgore.edu

1219 West Loop 281 Longview, Texas (903) 759-6116 www.la-z-boy.com/Tyler/Longview

PAGE

6

THE FLARE SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 2018

NEWS

East TX Oil Museum overflows with rich history of boom town Local attraction draws in nearly 15,000 visitors annually ERIN BENSON Staff Writer As soon as you walk through the door of the East Texas Oil Museum on the Kilgore College campus, you are instantly thrown into the 1930s, with bustling wagons, crowded streets, and an authentic look at the way things went about in Kilgore during that time.

Shop owners and news writers were all affected by the oil boom and the museum captures it.

“The museum is a great way to open up the children’s imagination,” said Merlyn Holmes, museum director, “The museum is a very unique place.”

The East Texas Oil Museum was funded in the late ‘70s by the Hunt family as a tribute to H.L. Hunt. Opened in 1980, it experienced a sudden influx of people from all over East Texas

and later the world. Soon, the museum became a tourist site for all of East Texas.

“The museum had no trouble with visitors when it opened, there was an immediate rush of people,” Holmes said.

Many local elementary schools take advantage of the educational tool the museum has become, as it was built as a way to educate and entertain the public.

Featuring a movie, an educational elevator ride and historically accurate shops, the museum reaches visitors in many different forms as it delivers information in the most exciting way possible.

“Not only do we teach about energy, but also The Great Depression,” Holmes said.

“We help to expand on the curriculum of many of the students.”

Built to last for years, the museum hasn’t been changed since its construction.

In the future, however, the museum hopes to develop more educational programs to further inform. They plan to renovate the museum itself to keep its original look.

Modernizing technology is one of the goals of the museum staff in the near future.

The museum already has many technological features, but some are becoming outdated and worn down, causing the need for an upgrade.

“The museum was built using very forward thinking,” Holmes said.

“It hasn’t been changed much since it was built.”

Since it lies on property of KC, the museum gives the campus an added boost when it comes to information and resources. It also

gives Kilgore, as a town, a reason for people all over the world to come and visit and learn about a history that isn’t their own. A typical museum tour can last about one and a half hours so visitors should allow themselves time to see everything. With more than 14,000 visitors annually, Holmes called it, “One of the largest tourist spots in all of East Texas, if not the largest.”

Kilgore is a town rich with history and no place better expresses that history than the East Texas Oil Museum.

Visitors from as far away as Japan and France, or as unique as Amish and Mormon groups, people everywhere come to be amazed by the history of such a small town.

Malayna Stewart / THE FLARE

Above: Piper participates in pumping water at one of the ETOM’s many authentic exhibits.

Piper, visiting with her family, is one of hundreds of visitors expected to enjoy the museum this summer.

Left: Scenarios depicting life in the 1930s are abundant around the museum, as well as some surprises. The East Texas Oil Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Admission is $8 for ages 12 to adult; $5 for children 4 to 11; and free for children 3 years and under. Guided tours are availabe by reservation only. For more information about the Museum, call 903-983-8295.

Catherine Black / THE FLARE

Malayna Stewart / THE FLARE

Rangerettes kick through history at Showcase

Megan DeHoyos shows Flare reporter Carlie Massey the differences between the original Rangerette skirt styles and current skirts.

World famous dance/drill team line enjoys sharing traditions with dancers of all ages Kyle Stallard / THE FLARE

CARLIE MASSEY Staff Writer

C

Taylor Cundieff / THE FLARE

Shirley Clima, Hanna Manford, Jordan Hesser, and Reagan Hesser traveled from Lake O’ the Pines and Austin to make a stop at the Rangerette Showcase to see memorabila featuring the world-famous dance/drill team.

urrent Rangerettes will host more than 600 students at their upcoming summer camps as they raise money to fund scholarships and produce their annual spring revue, Revels.

The series of summer camps began this past week with an Elementary Day Camp of 1st through 4th graders, The Middle School Camp wraps up Saturday, June 16, Two High School sessions will also be held in June — one from June 17 to 20, and the second from June 21 to 24.

Rangerette Forever member, Megan DeHoyos, said the people involved in making these camps happen are crucial.

“I oversee registration and all of the ins and outs of the camps,” DeHoyos said. “We have the dorms that are opening up for the summer to help us. The security, the custodial stuff, everyone on campus truly is on board and ready. We have our media; we have just every single person. It is a big team effort.”

The camps put on by the Rangerettes are in place to benefit the incoming dancers and allow them to experience life at KC. “I think that young dancers know that and they appreciate the tradition,” DeHoyos said. “I think they are excited to come and experience the Rangerettes.

And what it was created for so I would think that that is the allure.”

DeHoyos was a Kilgore College Rangerette from 2005 to 2007.

“It most certainly put me on the path that I am on today,” she said. “I had never been around such strong women. Women from just every aspect that you can think of. Mainly women in business, like myself. It shaped the way that I could see myself in the future with regard to my career, and that I could be strong and poised and be a go-getter and to be a part of this organization and be a part of what I wanted out of life. It was really neat to see such strong mentors in women here just taking hold of what life had to offer.”

DeHoyos was originally from Houston and did not know about the Rangerettes until her drill team teacher, a former Rangerette, introduced her. After that, she was hooked.

“I think it was life-changing,” DeHoyos said. “It gave me the skills I needed in life. It taught me time management. It taught me how to give respect, communication skills - everything that you can truly imagine. Rangerettes helped mold me in some way. If I hadn’t come to Kilgore College, I wouldn’t have what I have today.”

After graduating from KC, she volunteered at the college in any way she could.

“I started by helping with summer camps,” DeHoyos said. “Then I was elected to the Rangerettes Forever board.” Because of her involvement in the organization, her name was brought up when a position opened. She moved to East Texas and got started right away. One of her main duties still involves coordinating the camps, which began in the 1980s.

Girls from across Texas (and beyond) have turned these events into a tradition themselves, according to local drill team members.

“The Rangerettes love what they are doing and have a ball teaching us and helping up grow as dancers,” said Jayden Mankins, first lieutenant of the Kilgore High School Hi-Steppers for 2018-19. “It’s an inside look at what Rangerettes is like and how the girls work together. It’s a great experience and a great opportunity to meet girls from all over who love Rangerettes as much as we do.”

KHS Hi-Stepper member Brannon Russell has attended the Rangerette Camps for the last 12 years, and is registered to participate in the upcoming high school session.

“I love the experiences that the camp gives,” Russell said. “I have learned from people who I would have never been able to and I have made lifelong friends.”

The KC Rangerettes were created in 1940 by Gussie Nell Davis, to bring half time entertainment to the football field. “(Drill team) is something that spread throughout Texas and then the United States for young women, and now young men, to be a part of,” DeHoyos said.

“It started off because there wasn’t a lot for the young ladies to do here on campus and really Miss Davis created it. She created this half-time performing troupe for that reason, and also because when Kilgore College started and because of the oil boom there were a lot of men in the town and they would get into fights underneath the stands during the half time performance. So they hired Miss Davis to create something that would keep people in their seats.”

The Rangerette Showcase Museum opened in 1979 to showcase awards along with gifts the Rangerettes have received throughout the years.

“It was also created as a dedication for Miss Davis who started the Rangerettes; that was its first purpose in 1979,” DeHoyos said. “It’s become a real museum over time and it means everything to me. It’s our history, our tradition. It’s something that I’m very proud of, something that I’m very proud to be a part of.”