Boyd Street Magazine May 2019

Coming Back

Ed Noble Parkway

Norman High’s Scott Beck

Principal of the Year

BASCO’s Festival of Homes

Get Inspired

May 2019 • Issue 5 • Volume 18

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Features

MAY CONTENTS 2019

ISSUE 5– VOLUME 18 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

14 by Chip Minty

Coming Back

Mark Doescher

MANAGING EDITOR

Clouds lift over Ed Noble Parkway as optimism takes hold.

Lindsay Cuomo

SENIOR EDITOR

18 by Chip Minty

Ready for the Rain

Chip Minty

PHOTOGRAPHY

Mark Doescher

City using rain barrels to help manage stormwater problem.

CONTRIBUTORS

Roxanne Avery | | Stefanie Brickman Kaylee Campbell | Austin Chandler Lindsay Cuomo | Kathy Hallren Joy Hampton | Josh Helmer Shannon Hudzinski | Chelsey Kraft Jim Massara | Chip Minty Bill Moakley | Chris Plank Anne M. Richardson |Anna Roberts Paige Uhr

30 by Chris Plank

National Champions

Sooner Women win fourth title in last six years.

35

Lee Reynolds

Normanite in the Spotlight:

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES

by Chelsey Kraft

Lee Reynolds reflects on her life and how it led her back to OU .

Tracie Gray - tracie@sportstalk1400.com Trevor Laffoon - trevor@sportstalk1400.com Perry Spencer - perry@sportstalk1400.com PUBLISHER Randy Laffoon

40

by Chip Minty

A Good Idea

Norman man invents technology for those who live alone.

Boyd Street Magazine 2020 E. Alameda Norman, Oklahoma 73071 Phone: (405) 321-1400 E-mail: editor@boydstreet.com Copyright © Boyd Street Magazine

48 by Austin Chandler

Principal of the Year

Norman High’s Scott Beck wins prestigious award.

Any articles, artwork or graphics created by Boyd Street Magazine or its contributors are sole property of Boyd Street Magazine and cannot be reproduced for any reason without permission.

Any opinions expressed in Boyd Street are not necessarily that of Boyd Street management.

52 by Mark Doescher

Spring Game Photos Jalen Hurts first action as a Sooner.

Spotlights

56 by Kaylee Campbell

Celebrating Diversity

Annual event reflects diversity in Norman.

10 Officer Jenny Cummins

60 by Bill Moakley

Sooner Stadium Shop

OU revs up game day experience with unique shopping experience.

Service Spotlight:

by Jim Massara

12 by Stefanie Brickman Visit Norman

Get Inspired

64 by Anna Roberts & Anne M. Richardson

Find inspiration during BASCO’s annual Festival of Homes in June.

22

Devra Smith

68 by Josh Helmer

Service Spotlight:

350 & Counting

26

by Lindsay Cuomo

Boyd Street Teacher Features

Norman North baseball coach Brian Aylor leads Timberwolves to milestone win.

44 Master Sgt. Anthony Loomis

84 by Roxanne Avery

A Friendly Tradition

Koda CrossFit members building bonds while building muscles.

by Joy Hampton

Nine Ways for Kids to Make Money

Straddling the Border

El Huevo offers brunch menu of Mexican, American favorites.

by Shannon Hudzinski

A Higher Calling

77

by Kathy Hallren

Food truck business dedicated to teens who need help.

81

by Lindsay Cuomo

Dessert Wine: Sauterns & Ice Wines

92

by Paige Uhr

Service Spotlight:

73 this Summer

88 by Lindsay Cuomo

by Chelsey Kraft

boydstreet.com

/boydstreetmagazine

National Stroke Awareness Month

@boydstreet

Cover photo provided by: OU Women’s Gymnastics

COMM U N I T Y

Service Spotlight:

BY: JIM MASSARA

Officer Jenny Cummins S

he may carry pink handcuffs, but don’t let that fool you – Officer Jenny Cummins of the Norman Police Department is tough as nails.

She is a self-professed “gym nerd” and a former personal trainer. She’s survived breast cancer and is a mother of four kids, one with a mild form of spina bifida.

But Cummins didn’t even get into law enforcement until she was 36. After graduating from Norman High School, Cummins aspired to join the military.

Instead, she started adult life as a stayat-home mom.

Still, she wanted to stay active. Her idea of activity was teaching aerobics and serving as a personal trainer at the YMCA. She supplemented that with coaching her sons’ baseball team and helping out with the running club at her kids’ school.

“I love to work out. It’s my thing,” Cummins says. “I call it my spa time.

It’s my therapy.”

Over the next decade or so, life threw Cummins a few curve balls, including a divorce and breast cancer that she says was between stages two and three. The cancer led to a double mastectomy in 2012, as well as the pink handcuffs she carries. Cummins says she’s now cancer free.

Life also presented her with an opportunity to join the Norman Police Department.

“It was something I always wanted to

10 | May 2019

do,” Cummins said. “I get to go to work every day and help people.

What could be better?”

Part of the hiring process was a grueling physical test that included situps, push-ups, a sprint and a mileand-a-half run.

She passed with flying colors.

“I’m one of those people who, if somebody asked me to do 20 (sit-ups), I’d do 25 or 30,” Cummins says. “If somebody tells me I can’t, I’m going to do twice as many. That’s just how I am.”

From there, she entered the police academy — at age 36.

“I was the mom in the academy,” Cummins says, “But it was kind of an advantage because I was older. I had more life experience.”

Cummins is now a full-time patrol officer, working everything from domestic disputes to crime-scene investigations.

“I love to arrest bad guys, especially those that are breaking into our personal belongings,” Cummins says. “We all live check to check, so we work hard for what we have.”

She also now works with the academy as a physical-training instructor for new recruits, “yelling at ‘em and telling ‘em

to do more pushups.” Cummins jokes that she may have missed her calling as a drill sergeant.

Of all she does, Cummins says she’s most drawn to handling domestic disputes, where her life experience gives her empathy and insight.

“I get that people have hard times,” Cummins says. “We all have stuff behind closed doors. We all have stuff that we struggle with daily. If I can help (someone) out of a bad situation, I’ll take all day on that call if I have to.”

Someday, she says, she hopes to become a detective working only with domestic situations. At the end of the day, though, Cummins — recently remarried and about to celebrate her 40th birthday — says she’s a mom before she’s a cop.

“My greatest accomplishment is my family,” Cummins says. “They are my rock and my anchor.”– BSM

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COMM U N I T Y

T

Coming Back

Clouds Lift Over Ed Noble Parkway as Optimism Takes Hold

he Ed Noble Parkway shopping district has seen some ups and downs since Chili’s and McDonald restaurants first broke ground there more than 30 years ago.

The area enjoyed its hey day in the 1990s, but it has struggled through an extended run of closed businesses, bankruptcies, real estate auctions and receiverships in recent years. Finally, however, there may be light at the end of the tunnel, says Sara Kaplan, retail marketing coordinator for the City of Norman.

Storm clouds began brewing in the mid-2000s when competition at University North Park arrived, followed with more hardships caused by interstate bridge construction on Main Street in 2013. The pain continued when Lindsey Street bridge construction began in 2016, prompting more closed businesses and empty storefronts.

“That area has had some challenges,” Kaplan said, “But it stands the best chance it’s had in a long time.”

14 | May 2019

BY: CHIP MINTY

Ed Noble Parkway Plaza will soon be sold through auction after being in receivership since 2016, bringing in new ownership and the potential for a new commitment to business development. Meanwhile, there appears to be a general sense of optimism, says Kaplan, a Norman native and former retail business owner.

She says there’s still a strong core of retailers that never left, such as Home Depot, Barnes and Noble and PetSmart.

Bed Bath and Beyond is another stalwart that is not only hanging on, it’s doubling down with a new commitment to the area. The store is in the midst of moving to a remodeled space a few doors down from its current location at 530 Ed Noble Parkway. The company also plans to move one of its sister stores into the district. Cost Plus World Market is a retail chain owned

by Bed Bath and Beyond, and a new store is expected in the shopping district this fall, bringing international

home decor, furniture, jewelry, wine and gourmet foods imported from more than 50 countries.

While Party City is another big-box retailer planning to move into the area this year, the district is also attracting new restaurants, such as Gaberino’s Homestyle Italian Restaurant, which relocated last year to the former Chili’s location at 400 Ed Noble Parkway.

That restaurant will soon share its parking lot with The Crawfish Pot, which will open in mid-May. Owner Elane Tran Nguyen said her new restaurant at 3025 William Pereira will be her second location. She has been operating The Crawfish Pot for three years in south Oklahoma City at 2142 W Interstate 240 Service Road.

Born in Vietnam and raised by her family in New Orleans, Nguyen says her father continued his career as a fisherman when her family immigrated to the United States when she was 4 years old. Seafood is part of her family heritage, and she says Cajun style is her specialty.

Nguyen said she’s been interested in expanding to a second location for a while, and after looking at a couple of other locations in Northwest Oklahoma City and in Yukon, she decided Norman was the best choice. There are not many seafood restaurants in Norman, and she said the location off of Ed Noble Parkway is good.

She is aware of concerns over bridge and interstate interchange construction, but all of that is over with, and other business owners and managers in the area are optimistic about the future.

During construction, it’s understandable that people in Norman had to find alternative places to shop, but now that the streets are open again,

boydstreet.com

and it’s slowly getting better, she said.

“It’s a great location, and I can tell it’s already coming back. I think it’s going to go very well.”

Norman retail expert Kaplan says the time for a turnaround may have finally arrived.

“It’s had some issues lately, but it’s a good center,” she says. “It’s well located and visible off Interstate 35. It’s definitely in the best position that it’s been in over the last 10 years.”– BSM Elane Tran Nguyen, owner of The Crawfish Pot.

BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 15

The Norman Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the State Chamber of Oklahoma and the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber to provide affordable healthcare plans for Chamber members. Norman Chamber members with 2–50 employees are qualified to access one of these cost-effective health insurance plans.

The Greater OKC Chamber’s plan is called “Greater Choice Oklahoma” and is serviced by Oklahoma UnitedHealthcare.

The State Chamber of Oklahoma has partnered with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma to provide health coverage to employees through “Oklahoma Chamber Blue.”

For more information about the benefits of each plan, please contact one of the health insurance brokers listed below. (PLEASE NOTE: You MUST be a Norman Chamber member to be eligible for this program.)

Oklahoma Chamber Blue: Mann and Associates Mickey Mann (405) 364-2554 mickey@mannandassociates.net

Nextep Benefit Services (888) 811-5150 marketing@nextep.com

Greater Choice Oklahoma: BancFirst Insurance Services Danny Ray 405- 360-6061 Danny.Ray@BancFirst.bank

Employee Benefit Advisors LLC Reggie Ozeroglu (405) 310-2040 reggie@ebainsure.com

Mann & Associates, Inc. Mickey Mann (405) 364-2554 mickey@mannandassociates.net

Buwick Benefits & Insurance Group Greg Buwick (405) 329-6000 buwick@buwickgroup.com

INSURICA Julie Mitchell (405) 292-6409

Nextep Benefit Services (888) 811-5150 marketing@nextep.com

*Discounts Available

Doyle-Crow & Associate Chris Crow (405) 793-0893 chris@doylecrow.com

*Works with Businesses with 10 employees or more

LaReau & Associates, Inc. J. Tyler LaReau (405) 579-1711 tlareau@swbell.net

State Farm Insurance – Cindy K. Nashert (405) 307-0500 cindy@cindynashert.com State Farm Insurance – James Parker (405) 329-1104 james@jamesparkerinsurance.com

normanchamber.com 405.321.7260 | 115 East Gray Street | Norman, OK 73069

COMM U N I T Y

Ready for the

Rain

M

BY: CHIP MINTY COM M UNI TY

ay and June are two of Oklahoma’s wettest months but forget the umbrellas and put away the galoshes because the kind of storms we get this time of year don’t linger.

They’re usually in and out in a hurry with lots of lightning, thunder and rain – heavy rain.

Our spring storms drop the kind of rains that flood streets, choke creeks and overwhelm streams. Then, the clouds go away, leaving the City of Norman with another stormwater management headache to contend with.

Carrie Evenson and her staff in Norman’s stormwater management program are dealing with the problem one 55-gallon barrel at a time, hoping they can team with Norman residents to make a dent in those massive surges of stormwater that can be so damaging in the spring.

City Using Rain Barrels to Help Manage Stormwater Problem For the past three springs, Evenson’s department has sold rain barrels for “harvesting” rainwater that can be used later in gardens and on lawns. The plastic, 55-gallon barrels can be attached to rain gutter downspouts and collect water as it falls from residential rooftops.

While residents enjoy clean water that they don’t have to purchase from the city, Evenson says the environmental benefit is much more significant. The barrels help to reduce the first flush of runoff that goes into the drainage system after a storm hits. That’s important because of the flooding impact the water can have, and it also can reduce the amount of fertilizer, sediment, debris and other pollutants that can flow into the watershed.

The City of Norman concluded this season’s Recycle the Rain program last month, delivering 153 rain barrels to residents from across Norman. Empty, the barrels weigh about 20 pounds, and were originally used to contain food, such as pickles, olives and olive oil.

18 | May 2019

The barrels are repurposed by Upcycle Products Inc. of Morris, Ill., which runs the barrels through a manufacturing process to add hose hook-ups and other features that make them an effective way to capture rainwater.

Evenson says Norman’s program is part of a grassroots initiative formed by the Central Oklahoma Stormwater Alliance, which is composed of a dozen cities in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. While some cities have had rain barrel programs for several years, Norman’s program is relatively new, but participation has been strong and steady.

The Norman program sells from 100 to 150 barrels a year, and she says the program is worthwhile. When it comes to a heavy rainstorm, water collected in a 55-gallon barrel may seem like a drop in the bucket, but multiply that up to 150 times and that’s more than 8,000 gallons of water that’s not flooding onto Norman streets. The city has been selling the barrels for three years, so the volumes are beginning to add up.

Meanwhile, the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality considers the rain barrel initiative as a positive measure when issuing cities Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permits required by the EPA. Residents who purchased rain barrels from the city program this year were given a free workshop to demonstrate how to set their rain barrels up at home. Evenson said the barrels will not be available through the city again until next spring, but the Upscale Rain Barrels are still available for purchase online or through retailers, such as Whole Foods. More information is available at: upcycle-products. com/index.asp. – BSM

boydstreet.com

BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 19

COMM U N I T Y

BY: CHELSEY KRAF T

Service Spotlight: Devra Smith Before her time with the fire department, she worked for Norman’s Municipal Court. Smith also completed stints with the planning and finance departments as well.

“It’s kind of funny when I started, I was only going to work here for a couple of years,” Smith recalled. “Here I still am, so it must have been great.”

Currently, as an administration technician for the Norman Fire Department, Smith is responsible for a wide range of tasks, including budgeting, personnel information, record keeping, accounts payable, training, recruitment, Norman Fire Academy testing, preparing agenda items for city council meetings, answering phones and maintaining the department’s stock of supplies, among others.

Throughout her years with the city, Smith has worked under the direction of three different finance directors and four fire chiefs. She said she has learned unique lessons from each of them.

22 | May 2019

“I’ve been through a lot of leadership, different types of people, and I enjoy that,” Smith shared. “I enjoy working with people, and it seems like everyone I’ve worked for, I’ve learned something either from what they did or the way they did it.”’

Additionally, working in different departments has provided Smith with a broader understanding of the entire city, including seeing how the budget has evolved as the city has grown.

“I started in 1983 in the finance department,” Smith said. “Back then the budget was smaller and the city was smaller, so I was involved in a whole lot more of the budget. It’s much larger and much more varied now, but it has kind of helped me in my job here because I do understand how that part of it works, how it all fits together.”

Although she was born in Texas, Smith and her family moved to Oklahoma City when she was in the second grade, so she has spent most of her life in the Sooner state. Smith and her husband, Terry, will celebrate their 44th anniversary this year. The couple has two daughters and a son and two grandsons. They decided to settle in Norman partly because Ter-

ry’s side of the family had ties to the community, but Smith also liked how friendly the community is.

In her spare time, Smith said she is a “hobby person” who loves to read, paint, crochet and knit. She is also a big University of Oklahoma fan and loves to watch sports, especially softball, baseball, football and basketball.

Smith loves working for the City of Norman, and when it comes to what she enjoys most about her job, she says it is relationships built with both the firefighters and members of the community.

“I really enjoy the contact with the firefighters. You have such a wide variety of personalities, and it’s just fun to interact with them,” Smith said. “I feel like what we do is really important because when we come in contact with people, it’s usually because something bad has happened to them and we go help them and hopefully make their day better, so that’s important. We want to be helpers to the community, and I feel like our role is very important whether it be medical, fire related or just to help people out.” – BSM

This is a continuation of our series on public servants in Norman.

Photo by: Mark Doescher

F

or the past 36 years, Devra Smith has worked behind the scenes to help keep the City of Norman running. Smith has been employed by the city since 1983 and has been with the Norman Fire Department since 1991.

COMM U N I T Y

Tusa Scraper

D

BY: LINDSAY CUOMO

espite the notion of summers off, teaching often requires an extra level of commitment, beyond the typical eight-hour workday. For teachers like Tusa Scraper, their chosen career path often means early mornings, working lunches and after-hours tasks.

to grow and think critically in order to discover more of the world around them over the course of the year,” Scraper said. “I work hard to create a classroom where civil discourse and open communication, as well as empathy, become the most important values present.”

“A typical day begins with me working with students (during) a study period called “Stretch,” each morning,” said Scraper, who teaches English at Norman High School. “During lunch most days, I work with students in my classroom while I quickly eat. Students will come in to work on an assignment, make up a timed writing or test, or just to hang out and eat their lunch in a safe place. I stay after school each day to prepare my room and various materials for the next day’s activities.”

To accomplish these weighty goals, Scraper said she must keep learning herself.

It is her passion for youth, Scraper said, that keeps her going each day.

“One of my roles as a teacher is to help students understand their worth… and

“I graduated from NHS in 2004 and was privileged to have several inspiring teachers who shaped my path to becoming an educator,” Scraper said. “I want my instructional practice and strategies to evolve and grow based on what my students need. It is really important to me that I am not stagnant … and the strategies I use reach all students.

“Outside of the classroom, I hope that I am a leader in my profession, both at my school and on a larger scale. I’ve become increasingly more politically involved in order to support public education in our state.”

Scraper said she is honored to represent Norman High as their Teacher of the Year.

“NHS is a school rife with a tradition of excellence. The teachers I work with are consummate professionals and are unequivocal leaders in our field.”

Which is something, Scraper said, wouldn’t be possible without the Norman community.

“I want to say thank you to Norman. I could not do my job without the community’s support.” – BSM

Teaching Norman Christiona Cejda

T

he life of a middle school student is common fodder in books and movies. For a child, it’s a tumultuous time, and that is exactly why Christiona Cejda chose to be a middle school teacher.

“Middle school is a tricky time for everyone,” Cejda said. “I don’t know a single person who says they just loved middle school. I hope to make it a better experience.”

Cejda sees the literary stereotypes play out in her classroom at times.

“They sometimes do very odd things such as … put their earbuds in their nose and play their music through their mouth,” she said. “But then I can turn around and have deep conversation about universal themes, such why people fear the unknown and what causes prejudice.”

Cejda teaches Language Arts but she sees her curriculum as much more.

“I chose to teach English because I hoped to teach more than just a subject,

26 | May 2019

but empathy as well. Through books, I learned I could connect to other worlds, escape from my reality and learn to put myself into other’s shoes.”

As a Norman native, Cejda takes great pride in her public-school education and says it was her Norman teachers that help shaped who she is today.

“I grew up in Norman, and I had some of the most amazing teachers. Ones who saw past my shyness to see my individuality, my strengths more than my weaknesses and helped me gain confidence in myself.”

In an effort to pay it forward, you can often find Cejda tutoring students after school. “In my second year teaching, I had a student who was struggling academically, socially and emotionally. He had lost both his parents the year before.”

“One day, I was walking him out of the school, and I told him I was proud of how hard he was working. He broke

down in tears and said, ‘I have never given anyone a reason to be proud.’”

“This kid, who had more trauma and grit than most adults, didn’t think there was anything to be proud of. It was eye opening. As teachers, if we can only do one thing for our students, especially for the students who are not ready to learn yet, it would be to love and care for them. Be a bright spot in a possible dark day or life.”

Cejda was named Whittier Middle School’s Teacher of the Year.

“I was shocked to receive the honor since I’m in my fourth year of teaching. I feel like I am still learning so much.” – BSM

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BY: CHRIS PLANK

National Champions

T

Sooner Women win 4th Title in Last 6 Years

he Oklahoma Sooners women’s gymnastics team had just won the national championship, as head coach K.J. Kindler entered the press conference room with three athletes who took seats marked with their name. The rest of the Sooners filed in after them, 13 other student athletes.

“They asked me who should come in here, and I said everybody,” she said.

“And the reason I said that is because it has been quite a journey this year, and there’s not one person who was not working their butt off contributing in every single way.”

Team effort helped the Sooners overcome injury and life changing tragedy to win its fourth national championship in women’s gymnastics.

“We were faced with adversity from beginning to end, and I know it looks like it might’ve looked easy from the outside—we were undefeated, we were ranked No. 1—but we were bat-

30 | May 2019

tling the entire time and every week was a gigantic challenge,” Sooners coach K.J. Kindler said.

The Sooners posted a 198.3375 in the Four on the Floor to claim the national title in Fort Worth. The Sooners set a solid tone on Friday night during the national semi-finals. With the new post season format, only four teams advance to compete for the national championship. Oklahoma was able to advance as a team, but also garnered some incredible individual accomplishments.

Despite having not competed in the all-around since on Jan. 11, junior Maggie Nichols won the all-around title for the second straight season.

“It was kind of disappointing not to do all-around every meet this year,” Nichols said. “I was really confident in myself and I knew I could hit my routines. I just wanted to go out there and help my team advance tonight, too.”

Six Sooners placed in the top-eight in their events to claim All-American status. Brenna Dowell clinched her second career NCAA title by scoring 9.950 on floor, tying Alicia Boren (Florida), Lynnzee Brown (Denver) and Kyla Ross (UCLA).

As a team, OU totaled 197.8500 to beat second-place Denver (197.0375). The Sooners’ score was the highest among teams that advanced to the finals. But the Sooners knew they could be better and they were. OU took a lead in the first rotation with a 49.450 on bars and never looked back, recording three straight scores of 49.600 or better with a 49.6125 on beam, a 49.6500 on floor and a 49.625 on vault to cap the victory.

The Sooners’ 198.3375 is the second-highest total in NCAA history.

The Sooners now hold the top two scores with a 198.3875 set in 2017.

“At regionals, we were lights out both nights. It’s what we do every single

night in the gym,” Senior Alex Marks said. “We should have expected nothing less and we went out there and just did what we do. We had a lot of nerves on the first night, I know I was a bit uptight. Knowing tonight was the last night, we had to just leave it on the floor.”

“I know it is difficult what we went through as a team,” junior Maggie Nichols said. “We are a family. This season we have grown so close. After losing Dave, we did it all for him. Every routine tonight was for him. He was there with us and helped us win this national championship.”

Do it for Dave, or DIFD, the Sooners dedicated their season to Dave Richardson, the late husband of their athletic trainer Jenn. The tributes were everywhere, from the blue ribbons in their hair to DIFD written on their hands at every meet this season.

“We have had moments of sadness, and we have had moments of triumph,” Kindler said. “That is what families do; they go through all of

those emotions together. This year has been a miracle.

“To tell you a little bit of how we themed this year, we selected a song for every meet. Each song had a certain meaning. Yesterday, we picked the song 24k by Bruno Mars. When we pick that song, I noticed Jenn started bawling in the back of the room. When she did, I thought, ‘Oh shoot, did I say something?’ After everyone left, she said, ‘that’s Dave’s song,’ and when it comes on their daughter says, ‘That’s daddy’s song.’ I had no idea when we picked it.”

Senior Brenna Dowell was dominant in her final performance of her career.

In addition to the challenges of 2019, Dowell competed in the all-around for the first time in her career. The final rotation for the Sooners was the vault, and Oklahoma dominated as Dowell scored a 9.9875 and receiving four 10.0s from the six judges to close out her OU career.

“I was in awe,” Dowell said. “That was the first vault I had really stuck all sea-

son. To do it in the very last night and really clinch that victory and to look at Lou’s face. K.J. was already crying and I ran to my team and got a big group hug. It was awesome.”

The national title is the culmination of an incredible season in which OU posted a 32-0 record, its second undefeated season in program history. The Sooners also secured an eighth consecutive Big 12 Championship and won an NCAA Regional Title for the 10th straight year.

“Tonight, we picked that Champion song by Carrie Underwood that came on the very end (of the trophy presentation),” Kindler said. “It is unbelievable. It has been coincidences or blessing or whatever you call it, every single week, all the time. I can’t put it into words. That was the culmination of what our season was and tonight Dave was absolutely lifting us up. I know Jenn just lost her cookies at the end of the meet and so did we, because she said to me ‘All I can say is there must be a greater purpose for it’.

This must be it.” – BSM

COM M UNI T Y

BY: CHELSEY KRAFT

NORMANITE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Lee Reynolds

L

ee Reynolds has been called a boomerang.

After more than three decades away from Norman, Reynolds’ path led back to her hometown in 2015.

Not only has Norman become her home once again but the University of Oklahoma alumna is also back at her alma mater, working as the director of development and alumni relations in the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Reynolds describes herself as a “connector and a storyteller,” and in her return to Norman, she has had the chance to reconnect with her roots.

This includes seeing people she went to high school and college with but had lost touch with over the years.

A 1977 public relations graduate, Reynolds said OU today is very different than the university she attended in terms of the abundant opportunities and resources available to students. boydstreet.com

“The opportunities that students have access to today, versus when I was in school, really prepares them for great things and success in the real world,” Reynolds said. “Back when I was at OU, I went to the School of Journalism. Today I go every day to a hundred thousand square-feet, technology-rich building that was a gravel parking lot when I was in school. Being able to see the experiential learning opportunities that students have access to and helping to connect them with alumni is really fun.”

In 2015, Reynolds was working as the development director for a nonprofit in Connecticut when she received a phone call that would eventually bring her back to Oklahoma. Ed Kelley and Reynolds had served together on the Board of Visitors for Gaylord College, and the then-interim dean of the college reached out to see if Reynolds might be interested in the development job.

Even though a return to Norman had not been on her radar, after meeting

with Kelley and hearing his vision for the college, she knew it was an interesting and appealing opportunity. Reynolds said the job seemed meant to be after everything fell into place, including her daughter, who lives in Poughkeepsie, New York, with her husband, giving her permission to move.

Reynolds wears many hats within Gaylord College. In addition to raising money and connecting with the over 11,000 living alumni, Reynolds is also involved in recruiting high school seniors to the college, serves on the scholarship committee and advises the Gaylord Ambassadors and OU’s Association for Women in Sports Media chapter.

“I think being around students keeps you young at heart,” Reynolds said.

“It gives you the opportunity to share life skills and coach them a bit, but also it gives me the opportunity to learn on a daily basis. I learn a lot about their world today and about journalism and public relations today.”

BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 35

Through her alumni relations role, Reynolds works closely with JayMac, Gaylord’s alumni association. Everything in life is about relationships, she says, and she’s always looking to build relationships and connect with new alumni and others.

Since her graduation from OU, Reynolds has used her public relations degree in a variety of roles, including as a public relations coordinator for banks in Houston and at an advertising agency in New York City. Her next move was working in a consultative sales and marketing role out of her home in Connecticut before transitioning into development.

During her high school and college years, Reynolds worked at Reynolds Ford, which her grandfather started and her father later led. Her mother was a teacher, and Reynolds is passionate about education. This led to her serving for 12 years on a school board in Connecticut, and she will soon be joining the board of the Norman Public Schools Foundation.

Reynolds is also active in the Norman community in other ways. She recently completed Leadership Norman and serves on the Board of Advocates for the Stephenson Cancer Center in Oklahoma City.

For Reynolds, being back in Norman has been “wonderful,” and she says that’s due in large part to the people here. – BSM

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COMM U N I T Y

BY: CHIP MINTY COM M UNI TY

A Good Idea T

Norman Man Invents Technology for Those Who Live Alone

he tragic stories go untold more often than not.

A person, usually older, is living alone and something terrible happens. They fall, they have a heart attack, they choke, or they simply don’t wake up in the morning. No one is there to help them, and visitors are rare.

The death was unattended, so police are never sure of the details. Did they die immediately, or did they linger, incapacitated for hours, hoping someone would come and help them?

Most everyone has heard a story. The neighbor down the street. The woman across town or even a friend or a relative. Living alone can be risky, especially for older people.

David Coffman knows first-hand how risky living alone can be. A few years ago, the 67-year-old slipped on a step, went flying down and ran his head into a sheetrock wall at the bottom of the staircase. The fall knocked him unconscious, but he woke up and was able to walk away.

The Norman resident says the accident could have been much worse.

His head narrowly missed a wooden stud behind the sheetrock.

“Who knows if I would have still been alive if I would have hit that?”

Coffman said. “The whole thing got me thinking about my dogs, which were locked in their kennels at the time.”

“Who would have found me? How long would it have taken? Would my dogs have survived the wait?”

Coffman says those questions prompted him to develop a new technology that could reduce some of the

40 | May 2019

risks associated with living alone.

“I’m Up” is a smart-phone application designed to keep people connected with friends and family multiple times a day with only the touch of a button.

So, if a person become incapacitated because of an accident, help is only hours away.

The application is simple and easy to use, he says. Users can designate one, two or three check-in times a day when they can let their friends and family know they are up and OK. At those designated times, the I’m Up App shows a big, red circle on the user’s smart phone. When the red circle appears, the user simply touches it, and the circle immediately turns green. All designated friends and family then receive a brief notification.

From the time the red button appears, the user has 40 minutes to tap it green, Coffman said. If they do not touch the button within that time, a nonresponse notification is distributed to the designated friends and family members, who could then attempt to contact the user themselves.

Meanwhile, the user would receive another prompt shortly after the first prompt expires. If there is still no response, “I’m Up” sends a notification to emergency services, and dispatchers send an officer to do a wellness check.

“Through this system, the I’m Up App allows users to stay connected continuously, and it gives them piece of mind, knowing that help will always be on the horizon if they are ever in trouble,” Coffman said.

“There are many medical alert sys-

tems out there,” he says, “but for $4.99 per month, our premium service is the most affordable. We also have a basic service, which we offer free of charge.”

“Sure, you can get a subscription and carry an ‘I’ve fallen’ button around with you all the time, but if you trip and hit your head on a stud like I almost did, how’s that button going to save you or your pets?” he said.

The app can be downloaded by going to imupapp.com and clicking on the App Store or the Google Play buttons, he said.

“We had older adults in mind when we designed the application, but it’s actually useful to anyone who lives alone or who needs to stay connected to others,” Coffman said. “Examples might be students away at college or people traveling by themselves.”

While dying alone at home is common in the United States, it’s an epidemic in Japan, where an estimated 30,000 Japanese die at home alone each year, Coffman said. Some go days, weeks or even months without being discovered.

“The gruesome cleanup is unimaginable, and it’s so common, there’s even a Japanese name for it. Kodokushi.”

“I’m a retired life insurance salesman, and I’m not trying to get rich with this technology, Coffman says, “but I’m working hard to get the word out because I know it will give thousands of users, family members and friends security and peace of mind.” – BSM

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COMM U N I T Y

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Service Spotlight:

Master Sgt. Anthony Loomis M aster Sgt. Anthony Loomis started with the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office nearly 11 years ago and has been part of the courthouse security team for the past nine years.

I graduated high school, I went to college and went through the COPS program,” he said.

Despite his quiet, soft-spoken nature, Loomis’ height and the distinctive white cowboy hat make him someone people notice.

Once he earned his associate’s degree, Loomis took a job at a small law enforcement agency in southeast Oklahoma.

When he heard the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office was hiring, he put in for a job and was hired in July 2008.

“Master Sgt. Loomis is an asset to the courthouse security team,” said Sheriff Todd Gibson. “He understands people and knows how to be courteous to the public, but he’s also observant and able to respond should a threat arise.”

“I was in patrol for about a year and a half and then one of the courthouse deputies got stabbed,” Loomis said.

“They put metal detectors in after that, and I was one of the deputies they sent to the courthouse.”

Courthouse deputies rotate between duties in the courthouse. They work the doors and use metal detectors and X-ray machines to prevent people from bringing in weapons, and they work security within the courtrooms. They also assist transport deputies to escort the accused into the courtroom.

The new job fit. Loomis liked the people he was working with and asked to stay at the courthouse.

While he may not have imagined a career working security at the courthouse, Loomis knew coming out of high school that he wanted to enter law enforcement.

“My dad is a police officer, and when 44 | May 2019

Fortunately, the stabbing was not life threatening. The deputy had damage to his forearm, but the incident ushered in a new era of security awareness.

“In the courthouse, we’re here to assist people as they come in,” Loomis said.

“They come in for a variety of reasons.

People come in to pay their property taxes or if they’re a victim of a crime or if they’re charged with a crime. We have our metal detectors up and have

those check points to help keep everybody safe.”

Next to public safety, courtesy and customer service are high priorities.

“We treat everybody like we would want to be treated or like we would want our family to be treated,” Loomis said.

Loomis has a good relationship with the judges and believes they know they can come to him with anything they need.

“Our role in the courtroom is to keep everybody safe — the judge, the court reporters, the attorneys, the inmates and the people in the gallery,” he said.

“You have to have an awareness and know what’s going on at all times.”

Loomis said his relationships with the judges are important to how he reads a situation and what to do when emotions might escalate, helping him nip problems in the bud before they intensify.

In addition to his fulltime job, Loomis has continued his education and expects to graduate with a master’s degree in criminal justice and administrative leadership in December. He currently has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

This is a continuation of our series on public servants in Norman.

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COMM U N I T Y

BY: AUSTIN CHANDLER

Principal of the Year

Norman High’s Scott Beck Wins Prestigious Award

S

cott Beck is excited. And not just about being named Oklahoma’s Principal of the Year, but also about everything else, especially Norman High School. Beck is a man of tremendous energy, whose ideas and passions seem to spill out of him effortlessly.

When he reads, it’s multiple books at a time in various genres. He rarely has the time to see any new movies, preferring to focus on his work and his family. Fittingly, he is also an avid runner, having jogged almost every day for nearly a decade with Peter Liesenfield, the principal of Norman North High School.

His enthusiasm spills out easily, and it doesn’t take much prompting to get him to tell you why he loves the Norman community and why any award given to him speaks much more to those around him than himself. His former supervisor and current assis-

48 | May 2019

tant superintendent Holly Nevels believes this merely speaks to how good of a leader he truly is.

“He really truly listens to the people he’s charged with leading,” she says.

“And that informs his decisions, which is why he’s such a good decision maker. He’s also very charismatic and leads through the lens of relationships.”

After growing up in South Oklahoma City, Beck attended the University of Central Oklahoma and earned his bachelor’s degree. He then got his master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma.

He arrived at Norman High School in 2004 where he served as a teacher and coach for four years before accepting the role of assistant principal, serving the last eight years as principal.

“When I walked into the social studies department here at Norman High

School, I was absolutely blown away by the quality of teaching,” he says.

“This has always been a teacher’s school. We try to treat teachers as professionals and facilitate leadership with our teachers.”

“We’re in a phenomenal community that really values education and we’re in a phenomenal district that supports us,” he says. “There’s lots of resources, lots of latitude to try to be innovative, and there’s a real spirit of risk-taking.”

Beck is also focused on helping students grow by creating meaningful consequences for their actions.

“The old-school model would be a student does something wrong, and you punish them, then you move on,” he says. “There are still times when that happens, but ultimately, a more restorative, tiered intervention process is providing the support and

resources for students to help them learn through mistakes or challenging behaviors.”

Beck knows that in many parts of the country, being in high school – or any school, really – can carry at least a hint of fear. However, he believes the solution is not in barbed wire fences or armed guards, but in creating an environment focused on the student body as a community rather than a scattered group of kids.

“Our number one priority is safety,” he says. “And not just the physical safety.

So much of that is relationship-based.

We want students to feel comfortable enough that if something’s going on, they feel like they can come in and talk to us about it.”

He believes that it’s not about finding a balance between safety and community, it’s about combining those two priorities into one, making every student feel personally invested in their school, no matter their background.

boydstreet.com

“I philosophically believe that safety totally ties into what’s going on in the classroom,” he says. “When relationships build, kids open up, and when kids open up, we’re all safer. At the end of the day, we want to be safe, but our students don’t want to go to school at a prison.”

While Beck prioritizes the safety of his students, he also has implemented innovative education programs, including a physical and digital resource bank focused on virtue cultivation.

Beck partnered with OU philosophy professor Nancy Snow to establish a resource bank with expansive materials that cover everything from positive psychology and mindfulness to virtue development. These resources are available to students, teachers, and even members of the community.

“We really wanted a concentrated library of resources,” he says. “We really feel like we have one of the best libraries you could see in any high school.”

The welcoming yet ambitious faculty, staff and community set Norman apart in Beck’s eyes. For him, Norman is a special, important place with enormous potential.

“This town means a lot to me, this school means a lot to me,” he says.

“Our work is simple. Whoever walks in the doors, those are our kids, not only the select, not only the kids who want to be here, not only the kids who look exactly the way we want them to look. It’s every kid.”

At almost 42, Beck has been at Norman High for nearly 15 years, but his energy has not wavered.

“Our interactions and what we build here can alter the lives of young people,” he says. “That will be felt for generations and even forever. I walk in each day fired up to do it, excited to do it. It’s like walking into a buffet where everything looks so good. I just kind of want to do it all, and that doesn’t go away.” – BSM

BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 49

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COMM U N I T Y

BY: KAYLEE CAMPBELL COM M UNI T Y

Diversity Celebration Annual Event Reflects Diversity in Norman

A

lthough most LGBT Pride events around the world take place during the month of June, this year’s Norman Pride Festival and Parade will be May 3 - 5.

Norman’s inaugural festival took place in August last year to avoid competing with other established Pride events in Oklahoma. However, this year, event organizers decided to move to springtime to avoid the sweltering heat of the late summer months.

Active throughout the year, Norman Pride hosts monthly LGBT nights and develops diverse programming for the community, but the Norman Pride Festival and Parade is quickly becoming the organization’s largest and most popular event.

The three-day festival will have something for everyone, said Andrew Coulter, Norman Pride president.

56 | February 2019

Similar to other Norman street festivals, the Norman Pride Festival will feature live music and street vendors, and much like the group’s monthly events, this festival will celebrate and promote diversity and inclusivity within the Norman community.

Many in the Norman community are embracing the idea, and allies are a huge component of the event, Coulter said.

The City of Norman has donated parking lot use, and local shops in and around the festival will open their doors during the events, bring their businesses out onto the sidewalks and some have even become sponsors.

The Norman Pride Festival will also feature dance companies, local artists and art vendors, food trucks, beer and wine tours, drag shows and more. These events are meant to be

about having fun, learning and being a part of a community that embraces its differences.

“It’s always been about making Norman as inclusive and diverse as possible,” Coulter said. “It’s a good chance to meet someone new and to be a part of something different.”

“The Pride festival is about everyone, for everyone,” Coulter said. “We want to show everyone what Norman is all about. Everyone can call Norman home.”

The event is free and open to the public. The festival will kick off on Friday, May 3 on Main Street from 5 to 11 p.m. Activities will move to Campus Corner on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and will culminate Sunday from 7 to 9 p.m. back on Main Street with the Norman Pride Parade. – BSM

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Sooner Stadium Shop

OU Revs Up Game Day Experience with Unique Shopping Experience

T

his fall, the University of Oklahoma won’t just be competing on the football field. Far below the stands, away from high-definition video boards, the marching band and the gridiron action will be OU’s latest incarnation of fan immersion into all things Sooner.

The new Sooner Shop in The Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is now open and competing for the hearts of Sooner fans with more than 19,000 square feet of hats, t-shirts, fan gear and a gameday experience that measures up to action unfolding on the field.

“In our mind, this is a flagship store for OU. It’s something we hope our fans can be really proud of,” said Candace Stimmel, OU’s director of branding and licensing. “It’s a true expression of who we are as a brand. I think people will

60 | May 2019

feel that when they walk into the store, they just get a vibe of excellence.”

Following the fall 2018 semester, the former OU Bookstore closed and moved to a new location to open under a new name, the Campus Corner Store.

Then, OU Athletics and Fanatics went to work on the new Sooner Shop.

“The ideas they put in front of us were great,” Stimmel said. “They blew us away on paper, but I don’t think any of us could have imagined really seeing it come to life the way it has. We’re really proud of the product and how it’s turned out.

“They wanted us to own this space and not just come in and take a cookie cutter approach. They really wanted it to be special for OU.”

From the black walls and open ceilings with exposed ductwork, to the nearceiling-height display islands, the store has a unique interactive feel. In addition to being visually pleasing, the new space feels breezy and light.

“When you’re going to have a fan shop that’s adjacent to your football stadium, we know that the highest traffic times for the store will most likely be those six or seven Saturdays in the fall when fans come to experience an OU football game,” Stimmel said. “We thought about fans coming into this space and just being immersed in OU athletics.

The centerpiece of the upper level of the two-story shop is a towering t-shirt island that includes Nike shirts representing every sport on the OU campus, something Stimmel said was intentional.

“Everything from the décor to the product itself, we really hope there is something here for everybody. We want the store to be a place for all Sooners,” she said. “That was a key focus. Representing every single sport here at OU was critically important.”

Beyond the t-shirt islands is a collaboration with Norman-based Top of the World, one of the country’s leading collegiate headwear and fan gear companies.

Describing it as a hat wall hardly seems to do it justice since it spans a good portion of the store’s upper east wall.

“We joke that it’s more of a hat cathedral than a wall. It’s a gorgeous piece of the store,” Stimmel said.

With mainly clothing and headwear found on the upper level of the store, the lower level offers more clothing options as well as a large selection of novelty merchandise, including space that will eventually house OU-themed pool tables and foosball tables.

boydstreet.com

“If a fan likes one of the tables while experiencing it in the store and wants one shipped directly to their home, they can arrange for that,” Stimmel said. “It’s kind of fun to just come in here and hang out, whether you buy something or not.”

Also, on the lower level is space dedicated to soon-to-be OU alumni. Jostens maintains a section of the store stocked with graduation gowns and accessories, as well as diploma frames and other items that graduates and their families may want to pick up while on campus.

Throughout both levels of the shop, Sooner fans will find the familiar Nike Swoosh and OU X Jordan lines of clothing and merchandise.

“We worked with Nike and the Jordan brand to bring them into the space and truly design, develop and implement what they wanted that footprint of the store to look like,” Stimmel said.

Additionally, fans who don’t make it to the store can restock their OU gear via shop.soonersport.com. That said, Stimmel believes a visit to the store will not disappoint.

“We really want everyone to leave here feeling inspired and feeling proud to be associated with the OU brand,” she said.

“We want this to be the highest possible reflection and have people leaving with that sense of pride.

“More than just a transaction, fans have to have a reason to come here and it has to be a memorable experience… and we feel as if we accomplished that.”

In addition to the new shop in the stadium, Stimmel said Fanatics plans to continue to operate their smaller Sooner Shop at the corner of Boyd Street and Buchanan Avenue in Norman’s historic Campus Corner district. – BSM

BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 61

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BY: ANNA ROBERTS & ANNE M. RICHARDSON

Get Inspired Find inspiration during BASCO’s Annual Festival of Homes in June

T

he Festival of Homes is the perfect opportunity for the community to see the work of quality home builders, along with the latest in home design and technology. This year’s festival will once again be held the first two weekends in June, June 14-16 and 21-23 from 1 to 7 p.m.

An annual tradition for many years now, the Builders Association of South Central Oklahoma (BASCO) organizes the festival as an opportunity for area builders to showcase their newest homes to an array of home buyers.

For those looking for their first starter home to those ready to build their dream home, there is plenty to discover. Last year’s festival featured homes starting at 1,600 square feet all the way up to luxury homes with over 4,300 square feet and pricing beginning at $190,000 and going all the

64 | May 2019

way up to $750,000. This year will be similar with a full range of home sizes on the tour and pricing and locations to suit most people’s wishes.

Several years ago, BASCO was joined by the Moore Home Builders Association and the Southwest Home Builders Association to offer an even wider area and range of homes on the tour including Goldsby, Newcastle, Norman, Moore, South OKC and nearby areas.

Of course, some of the festival attendees aren’t home buyers at all. Many come out to see the latest homebuilding technology and trends to get ideas for remodeling or interior decorating in their existing homes. Builders love showcasing their work for these festival-goers as well.

Danny Paul Gamble, current president of BASCO, believes in the im-

portance of this event as a way to connect with the community. “We have a lot of members who want to get their homes seen, it’s a great opportunity for them to showcase their talents.”

Besides allowing potential homebuyers to experience what is available in the area, the Festival of Homes also gives BASCO the opportunity to give back to the community. Each year a special Festival Show Home is built as a collaborative effort between one of the BASCO homebuilder members along with vendors and suppliers who come together to make an exceptional house for the benefit of the organization and community.

Some of the proceeds from the sale of the featured home are donated to community endeavors such as the BASCO student chapter at the University of Oklahoma and to scholarships at Mid-America Vo-Tech and

Moore Norman Technology for students interested in careers in the construction industry.

This year’s featured Festival Show Home in Norman is located at 512 Vintage Dr. in the Villas at Vintage Creek neighborhood, a development by Aria Development. The home is being built by Custom Builders of Oklahoma and financing has been provided by First United Bank.

Rhonda Trower, one of the owners of Custom Builders of Oklahoma, is proud of the work completed on the home.

“The home is beautiful and we are so proud of its design and construction. Each home is unique and this one definitely has earned the right to be BASCO’s Featured Show Home this year—it won’t disappoint any visitors and its future owners!”

The home features an installed sound system in the living area, a top-notch outdoor living area with fireplace and many other top-of-the-line amenities and design elements.

This year, there are two other featured Festival Show Homes, one from each of the participating builder associations. The Moore Home Builders Association featured Festival Show Home is in the new Meadow Creek addition at 1532 NW 17th Street in Newcastle and is being built by Canterra Homes. The developer is Marvin Haworth and financing is being provided by First Bank & Trust.

The Southwest Home Builders Association is also building their featured Festival Show Home in the new Meadow Creek addition at 1516 NW 17th Street in Newcastle and is being built by Jay London Homes. Financing is being pro-

boydstreet.com

vided by Great Plains Bank in Moore and the developer is Marvin Haworth.

Pick up a free Festival of Homes Tour Book at a local participating 7-Eleven store throughout Norman, Moore, South OKC and surrounding areas. The Festival Tour Book contains in-depth information and photos as well as a map and directions to each of the festival homes. Home details can also be viewed on the festival’s website at BASCO-Festival. com.– BSM

BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 65

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S P O RT S

BY: JOSH HELMER COM M UNI TY

350 & Counting Norman North Baseball Coach Brian Aylor Leads the Timberwolves to Milestone Win.

N

orman North head baseball coach Brian Aylor recently picked up a milestone win this spring. On April 1, his Timberwolves topped Putnam City West 11-1, representing Aylor’s 350th win as a head coach in Class 6A. “They’re all special,” Aylor said about the accomplishment of leading his team to a win. “In this day and age, when you see so many programs out there and the turnover that occurs in a lot of high schools, to have longevity in one place is very special to me.”

But, he was quick to say that the credit is not his own.

“Like I tell these guys all the time, ‘coaching is overrated.’ You’ve got to have great players, you’ve got to have a great administration and you’ve got to have a great parent support group,” Aylor shared. “But, it was really special to do it with these players because they mean a lot to me.”

Aylor took over the Norman North program in 2005, racking up a lengthy list of accomplishments of the years. His T-Wolves have been conference champions three times (2006, 2008, 2011), regional champions six times (2006, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2017) and, after capturing the District 6A-1 title this season, district champions four times (2013,

68 | May 2019

2014, 2017, 2019). They were also state runner-up in 2013.

a year later. It was a very quick turnaround,” Aylor said.

Beyond titles, Aylor has had 14 players selected to the Oklahoma Coaches Association All State, sent 65 players to play at the collegiate level and had four players drafted by Major League Baseball.

Aylor’s knowledge of the game is deep and goes back to his years as a player.

He spent four seasons with the New York Yankees’ organization after being drafted in the 7th round in 1996 and was an all-Big Eight centerfielder at Oklahoma State University.

When asked how he has evolved over his 15-year run atop the program, Aylor is quick again to deflect attention away from him and onto the program’s growth instead.

“The program itself is in a completely different place than it was fifteen years ago. When I got to Norman North, they’d never had a winning season. It was known as a soccer town, which it still is in a lot of ways, but I saw the vision of what I thought it could be. I saw the facilities being built and I saw people moving to that side of town and I took a chance,” Aylor said. “It’s taken a lot of hard work, a lot of vision and a lot of help from a lot of people to get it where it is today.”

Aylor came over to Norman North from PC West and said he was lucky to inherit a talented group of sophomores that helped jumpstart North’s ascension.

“We kind of just turned it over to them and within a year we won our first regional and were in a state tournament

The passion to share his knowledge and teach the game to younger players is what has kept Aylor at Norman North.

“At the high school level, you’re able to use the game of baseball to teach these guys about life and about where they’re headed,” Aylor said. “I really fell in love with the process of seeing players when you work with them for the first time and where they could get to years later.”

“There’s a lot more teaching and coaching going on at the high school levels than I think at any other level. It’s been a place that I’ve found a niche and I’ve enjoyed it. Every year, something about it keeps me coming back. Norman North is a very, very special place to me.”

Norman North appears well positioned to perhaps capture its first state championship. At the time of print, the T-Wolves were 25-7 on the season and set to host a regional to start the 2019 playoffs.– BSM

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Kids Can Make Money this Summer

The best way to teach a child financial responsibility is by encouraging her to earn and manage her own money. As the weather warms and summer nears, there are many ways for your kids to pull in extra cash.

In honor of Youth Savings Month, let’s take a look at a few easy ways your kids can earn money.

A LEMONADE STAND

HELP WITH PETS

Let your kids walk dogs around the neighborhood and offer to pet-sit. If your child is truly a budding entrepreneur and has the skills, they can set up a pet-grooming station out in the yard.

BE JUNIOR TECH-SUPPORT

It may be old-fashioned, but kids can bring in good money by selling America’s favorite hot-weather drink. For optimal exposure, let them set up near a local yard sale or another neighborhood event.

Generation Z kids are practically born holding smartphones. Let your kids use those skills to help older folks who may not be as tech-savvy. They can offer to organize digital photos, assist with data entry or help set up a Facebook page.

HELP A SENIOR

HELP A MOM

Your pre-teen can be a huge help to a local senior while earning money on the side. Let your child run some errands, take out the trash, clean the litter box or just chat with a lonely senior.

Your child may be too young to babysit alone, but he can offer services in assisting a neighborhood mom while she’s at home.

HOLD A YARD SALE Spring-cleaning season is the perfect time to host a yard sale. Let your kids be in charge by having them choose the items to feature, set prices and run it. You’ll want to be available to oversee things, but let them make most decisions on their own.

DO YARD WORK If your children are old enough to handle a mower or can be relied upon to trim shrubs and weed gardens, let them offer yard work as a service. boydstreet.com

COLLECT RECYCLABLES Help your child gather empty bottles, cans, cardboard boxes and newspapers to bring to a recycling plant. You’ll be keeping the planet green and helping your child earn pocket money at the same time.

WASH CARS Let your child try out her car-washing skills on the family car. Once she’s got the technique down, have her offer car washing services to the neighborhood. Your neighbors will cross another weekend chore off their list and your child will be learning that hard work can pay off.

BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 73

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LI F EST Y L E

BY: KATHY HALLREN | JOE’S WINES & SPIRITS

Dessert Wine: Sauterns & Ice Wines S auternes is the famous dessert wine from the Bordeaux region of France. It is also very expensive. But, what makes it so unique?

The answer is noble rot. The wine is made from a blend of Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle grapes, but it’s the specific region of Bordeaux that lends itself to the development of the beneficial fungus. The conditions do not occur every year and production can be time consuming and labor intensive. However, the result is a sweet wine with balanced acidity.

Château d’Yquem is the most famous and expensive sauterne. Sauterne wine is the most long lived of all wines.

There are other wines that noble rot, including Tokaji or Tokay from Hungary and the Beerenauslese or Trockenbeerenauslese from Germany. Some vineyards on the West Coast of the United States are also producing wines inoculated with the noble rot.

Ice wine is produced in Germany and Canada from grapes that endure a hard freeze while on the vine. These grapes

must be free of any rot, and be picked within hours of the freeze. The wine will usually have crystals of residual sugar in the bottle. Riesling and Vidal are the most common grapes used in the production of ice wines. Although sweet, these wines have high acidity and therefore are refreshing to drink.

Sauternes and ice wines both involve luck with the weather and complex production processes. The above mentioned Château d’Yquem is so sought after that it has been the subject of much fraud.

There are several books on this subject, including the “The Billionaire’s Vinegar” and “In Vino Duplicitas: the Rise and Fall of a Wine Forger Extraordinaire.” These books prove wine can be exciting even when you are only reading about it.

Happy Dessert, Kathy

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H EA LT H

BY: LINDSAY CUOMO

National Stroke Awareness Month Left to Right: Angela Carrick, DO, Emergency Medicine Physician and Co-Medical Director of the Stroke Program, Courtney Stark, RN, stroke program coordinator and registered

nurse and Smaranda Galis, MD, Neurologist and Co-Medical Director of the Stroke Program

B

Norman Regional Hosts Stroke Prevention Community Event

ecause May is Stroke Awareness Month, it is a pertinent time to talk about the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of long-term disability for adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 800,000 people have a stroke each year.

That is roughly one incident every 40 seconds.

Dr. Smaranda Galis, a neurologist with Norman Regional Health System and the co-director for the hospital’s stroke program, said that a stroke can happen to anyone regardless of age or gender, which makes knowing the signs so important.

“A stroke is a brain attack that occurs when an artery carrying oxygen or nutrient rich blood is blocked,” Galis explained. “Tissue begins to die due to the lack of blood.”

The CDC offers an easy to remember acronym, F.A.S.T., to help recognize a stroke. The F stands for face and the A for arms, which refers to the sudden numbness many experience. S stands for speech, as in the slurred or strange speech that is a tell-tale sign.

T stands for time, since the first hours after a stroke are critical. Galis said othboydstreet.com

er symptoms include vision problems, difficulty smiling, confusion and a severe headache.

With all the seriousness surrounding a stroke, it is important to remember that strokes are preventable. While age, ethnicity and family history do play a role, Galis said “there is a lot we can do to prevent a stroke.”

“We cannot change who we are but we do have some degree of control of our lifestyle.”

High blood pressure, smoking, obesity, heart disease and even mental illness can increase the risk of having a stroke, as well as migraines and some contraceptives.

“Every year, we have almost 130,000 people die from a stroke,” Galis said.

But, with the total number of strokes annually at more than six times that, it is important to note that strokes are also treatable.

“At Norman Regional, we have a talent emergency group, and we also have an intensive care unit and stroke treatment center that offers high quality care,” Galis said.

Their stroke program was recently awarded the American Stroke Association’s Get with the Guidelines award.

“This award means our stroke team follows the most stringent guidelines of care and best practices and that we stay up to date with our treatments,” Galis explained.

If you or a loved one has a stroke, Galis said Norman Regional will be there every step of the way, from emergency care to rehabilitation.

“We help patients determine their risk factors and find the best preventive medications. We also educate our patients about living a healthy lifestyle and the importance of following up regularly with a primary care doctor,” Galis said.

Norman Regional is hosting a Get Stroke Smart health fair on May 11 at the Norman Regional Hospital Education Center, 901 N. Porter Ave. Attendees can get free health screenings and hear from physicians about stroke risk factors, treatment and prevention.

Appointments are required to receive a free carotid artery disease screening and, to receive blood test results at the event, blood must be drawn before Tuesday, May 7.

To learn more, visit www.normanregional.com/services/stroke-center or call (405) 515-5000 to make appointments for the event. – BSM BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 81

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BY: ROXANNE AVERY COM M UNI TY

A Friendly Tradition

Koda CrossFit Members Building Bonds while Building Muscles

C

rossFit is everywhere these days and for those who don’t know, it’s a training program that builds strength and conditioning through varied and challenging workouts.

Located one mile west of the University of Oklahoma on the corner of McGee Drive and Lindsey Street, Johnson describes Koda as a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to CrossFit gyms.

“Koda,” the Sioux word for friend, symbolizes the brotherhood that once existed between those who lived, hunted and went to battle together.

Today, it represents a dynamic that makes Koda CrossFit in Norman unique and fun.

“We offer classes anybody can do,” he said.

Owner Toby Johnson moved to Norman on a whim three and half years ago from West Virginia to try out a new area of the country. Upon discovering Koda, Johnson started hanging out at the gym and began coaching classes.

Later he became the manager and is now the new full-time co-owner and operator.

84 | May 2019

Classes range from beginner to competitor levels and even include boot camp style options, KodaKids, yoga and bodybuilding. Johnson said his personal favorite is the longevity class, designed for people aged 55 and older who want to stay active.

Their “6-Week Challenge” is directed toward beginners who are new to CrossFit and focuses on assisting people in taking their first step toward a healthier lifestyle in a fun and encouraging environment. The program follows a 6-week diet and exercise program.

“The coaching that you’ll receive at our gym is unrivaled in the state of Oklahoma,” Johnson said. “We have a large facility that offers upwards of 20 classes per day. People come in to get a good workout, but they stay because of our community. Our staff members are friendly, and our members are very friendly. Everybody is rooting for you to meet your health and fitness goals.”

Freddy Petrolia came to Norman several years ago to study Health and Exercise Science at OU and discovered Koda.

“I originally came to Koda and joined CrossFit because I wanted to get fit and look good with my shirt off. I didn’t have any goals other than that.

I heard good things about Koda and, when I joined, it was a unique experience unlike other gyms.”

“I hadn’t tried group class training before and was used to doing my workout alone. When I came to Koda, it was different. The class was led by a coach who not only made me laugh but also made me partner up with people, which forced me to…be part of a community.”

The three core values of Koda are integrity, community and progression.

a different approach than other gyms he’s experienced.

“Cross Fit is known for hitting it hard every day but that’s not how we do things. They definitely push you but it’s about really good coaching. What’s really cool about CrossFit in general is the wide range of people who walk through the gym.”

“Integrity means you don’t cheat yourself,” Petrolia said. “No one is counting your reps in a workout so if your plan calls for 10 reps, you don’t cut yourself short and do eight. You hold yourself accountable. The community aspect means we are friends here. People come for a workout but stay for the conversation. We are a big family. Progression means you come to the gym to get better. It’s a fun place to be.”

“I would never meet half of these people in the real world. We’re all here just trying to get better fitness-wise every day in a great environment. Everyone is really positive.”

The programming at Koda is structured for even training, not over training.

Massage therapy is also available with certified and licensed massage therapist Tessie Taleu. Session are 60 minutes or 90 minutes.

Lorin Johnson, who has been coming to Koda for seven years, says Koda has

Celebrating their six-year anniversary, this spring, Koda has special events and challenges going on all the time.

Personal training is also available, and sessions are scheduled according to the client’s needs.

Toby Johnson Co-Owner / Operator

For more information, call 310-4047 or visit www.kodacrossfitnorman.com.

The first class is free. – BSM

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B U S I N E SS

Straddling the Border

A

BY: LINDSAY CUOMO

n all-new breakfast and brunch restaurant, El Huevo Mexi-Diner opened its doors in Norman on April 15.

The casual, Mexican-American diner offers a brunch concept that focuses on fresh ingredients and daily specials with a number of classic Mexican and American items as well as some unique plates for more adventurous types.

“When guests visit El Huevo, they can expect an upbeat atmosphere followed by only the freshest ingredients and delicious food,” General Manager Tanner Nickell said.

El Huevo Offers Brunch Menu of Mexican, American Favorites

The menu includes items such as huevos rancheros, eggs benedict, handpressed burgers, breakfast tacos, burritos, omelets and a corn-flake-crusted French toast. El Huevo has coffee, fresh squeezed juice and a variety of brunch cocktails such as Frozen Mimosas and Bloody Marys.

Located on 24th Ave NW and Tecumseh Road, the diner is open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will also offer Grab & Go meals for guests on the go. More information is available at elhuevomexidiner.com or at El Huevo on Facebook and Instagram.

El Huevo is one of the latest concepts

by Hal Smith Restaurants. Based in Norman, Hal Smith operates nearly 80 locations in seven states across the Midwest and employs more than 6,000 workers. – BSM 88 | May 2019

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FO O D

BY: PAIGE UHR

A Higher Calling

Food Truck Business Dedicated to Teens Who Need Help

J

essica Leal and Rachel Smith have always had a special place in their hearts for children in foster care.

But for coffee? Not so much. What started as a mission to serve others in need turned out to serve local communities at large.

Leal and Smith met at the University of Oklahoma while studying social work. From there, they both interned at the Cleveland County Department of Human Services, where they saw firsthand the lack of resources for teenagers aging out of foster care. After graduating, both women started working at Canadian County DHS. As their time with the department grew, so did their passion for helping teenagers.

“We began to see how the lack of resources translated to poor outcomes for the older children in foster care,” Leal said.

While the women had no background in coffee or waffles, they decided waffles and coffee might be the ticket some kids needed to power their transitions out of the foster care system. By opening a business, they could employ the teens and help 92 | May 2019

them find avenues of opportunity.

Smith’s dad suggested the women start with a food truck – a more feasible option for new business owners, who also had full-time jobs at DHS. After months of meetings with local businesses, coffee roasters and waffle suppliers, Leal and Smith brought Red Bird Coffee Cart to life.

They purchased a food truck and opened their business in April 2017.

Months later, Smith left DHS to operate the truck full-time. Leal wasn’t far behind. Together, the women work to promote the cart and schedule operations at events across the metro, serving their specialized version of coffee and waffles.

“It’s definitely a full-time job for both of us,” Smith said.

The cart serves EOTE brand coffee and Liege makes the waffles by hand, which is a 24-hour process. They are made with pearl sugar that caramelizes and pairs well with coffee.

As of now, the cart is not ideal to employ teenagers. However, the brick and mortar location they dream of opening is on the horizon. Leal and

Smith have had conversations about a location in Yukon, but that move is on hold for now. If that spot doesn’t work out, they’re confident the right place will eventually present itself.

In the meantime, Leal and Smith are developing a network of mentors to partner with teens, transitioning into adulthood, and they hope they will soon be able to provide jobs and a support system.

“They need more than just a job, and we want to give them that,” Smith said. “The goal is not to work as a barista their whole life.”

Leal and Smith work local chambers of commerce and rotary clubs to build a list of business professionals they hope to collaborate with in the future. They are seeking professionals in diverse fields so the teens can choose the path they want, whether it’s banking, engineering or a job in construction.

The Red Bird Coffee Cart travels around the metro, and it can be booked for any event. More information is available at theredbirdcoffee. wordpress.com. – BSM

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