News

March 31, 2017
Story and portrait by Brandon Steinert

Barton student Zack Steffen, sophomore of Great Bend, managed to acquire 32 credit-hours of college coursework before graduating high school through dual credit.

He then began pursuit of an associate of science degree with an emphasis in engineering and will graduate in May.

He plans to attend Wichita State University in the fall to study Biomedical Engineering, which he hopes will prepare him to contribute to the field of prosthetics and the use of technology in medicine.

March 22, 2017
Story by Micah Oelze
Courtesy Photos

The Barton Community College Theatre Department will host open auditions for its upcoming Original Playwright Series 4-8 p.m. March 27 and 28 in the Fine Arts Auditorium.

The series consists of four original short plays from the theatre department’s Original Playwright Contest.

March 22, 2017
Story by Micah Oelze
Courtesy photo submitted

The public is invited to observe a Vocal Masterclass forum from 3-5:30 p.m. and from 6:15-8:30 p.m. on March 31 in the Dorothy Moses Morrison Chapel in the Fine Arts Building at Barton Community College. Those interested in learning more about vocal technique and performing are encouraged to attend one or both sessions. 

March 21, 2017
Story by Micah Oelze

Barton Community College’s Community Service Organization (CSO) will host a Career Closet Drive as part of the 10th annual Great Bend Job Fest. The drive will continue through March 28.

Story by Micah Oelze
Photo by Brittney Seger

Terria Ashby is by no means a traditional student and she knows it. Ashby is a 45-year-old grandmother returning to college to study early childhood education through BARTonline.org, Barton Community College’s online learning platform.

Ashby works from home running a childcare center, where on an average day she takes care of seven children.

Teaching and caring for children comes naturally to Ashby, from “playing school” as a kid to watching over her siblings and babysitting as a student for income.

March 16, 2017
Story and photos by Micah Oelze

Law enforcement professionals realize the nature of their work can put them in dangerous situations where hand-to-hand defensive tactics are required. The criminal justice program at Barton Community College has acquired two padded training suits, known as RedMan suits, to allow students to experience such situations first-hand safely.

Great Bend Tribune
Published March 12, 2017

You would have to have been living in a bubble to be unaware of the fires that swept across over twenty Kansas Counties and Oklahoma, Colorado, and Texas this past week.  And these are in addition to the major grass fires from last spring.  Media has reported the devastation and the why – howling winds that changed direction, low humidity, and a great deal of fuel due to last summer’s rains.  But what exactly is the connection between fire and the prairie.

March 9, 2017
Story by Micah Oelze

Barton Community College’s Center for Adult Education will soon begin its nine-week GED Preparation Class.

The orientation session, which is a prerequisite for the course, will be held from 9-11 a.m. March 20 and 3-7 p.m. March 21 at 1025 Main St. in Great Bend. Classes will begin March 27, students who attended the March 20 orientation will meet at 8:30 a.m. and the students who attended the March 21 orientation will meet at 3 p.m.

March 6, 2017
Story and photo by Brandon Steinert

Long-term-care facilities will be under strict deadlines to meet new staffing requirements outlined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The new regulations require any individual serving as a facility’s Director of Food and Nutrition Services to secure certification as a dietary manager as defined by the Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals (ANFP) or the International Food Service Executives Association (IFSEA), according to an article on ANFPonline.org.

Great Bend Tribune
Published March 5, 2017

Where Did It Come From?

With all the “heavy” and concerning news across the board and in agriculture, maybe something a little less serious, a bit fun, and accidentally educational is in order.  There are many terms in agriculture and around food production.  Some still in common use while some are a bit archaic.  Let’s just tackle a few of them see how they came about and what they mean.