KCK students at K-State outstanding in national speech tournament

Kansas City, Kansas, students did well representing Kansas State University at the American Forensics Association-National Individual Events Tournament April 9 at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The K-State speech team finished 10th in the nation in the contest. The university’s team competed against teams from 62 schools across the nation at the tournament.

Logan Stacer, a senior in communications studies from Kansas City, Kansas, went to the finals, placing second in communication analysis, fourth in informative, and fifth in poetry interpretation. A 2014 graduate of Piper High School, Stacer was the seventh overall speaker in the nation.

Also, Michelle Briggs, a senior in psychology from Kansas City, Kansas, advanced in the informative and poetry interpretation events. She was one of two students who advanced to the quarterfinals, finishing in the top 24 of their events.

Alcott kicks off 2018 season with student art exhibit Saturday

Alcott Arts Center will kick off its 2018 season with a student art exhibit on Saturday, April 14.

According to Chris Green, executive director, the arts center will exhibit the work of about 60 young artists from local schools.

“I am so impressed, it is so phenomenal,” Green said about the artwork of Kansas City, Kansas, students.

A wide variety of media was employed by the students, including pencils, inks, chalks, clay sculptures and more, she said.

The Alcott galleries open at 6 p.m., with the event lasting until 9 p.m. Saturday, she said. A reception for the artists will begin at 6:30 p.m.

The art exhibit will run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Saturdays until May 5, she said.

The exhibit is open to the public, and there is no admission charge, she said.

Green said the idea for the exhibit came about after she put out a call for anyone interested in exhibiting artwork with Alcott this year. A friend referred a visual arts teacher from Washington High School who called and said her students would love to have an exhibit there.

That got the process started, with several schools joining in. Also, a Girl Scouts representative called and started the process to exhibit two students artists’ artwork, she added.

Students from Washington, Wyandotte and Turner high schools, Argentine, Arrowhead and Northwest middle schools, as well as Midland Trails, Oak Grove and Edison elementary schools, KCK Council of PTA, and Faith Christian Academy will exhibit their works at Alcott on April 14, she said.

For most of the student artists, it will be the first time outside of school that their work has been exhibited, she said.

The Alcott season is starting well, she said.

“We’re all booked up all season long in the fall, with exhibits, productions, and we have a couple groups that will come in and do some productions with us,” Green said about this season.

Alcott Arts Center is at 180 S. 18th St. in Kansas City, Kansas. It is not ADA accessible. For more information visit www.alcottartscenter.org or call 913-233-2787.

KCKCC trustees choose new college president

Kansas City, Kansas, Community College has a new president. He is Dr. Greg Mosier, who comes from Rochester (Minn.) Community and Technical College where he was executive vice president. The college trustees here met briefly Wednesday, April 11, to unanimously approve his contract. Dr. Mosier was a vice president at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology, Okmulgee and Moberly (Mo.) Area Community College. Dr. Mosier said he was pleased to accept the position. Here he visited with one of a group of well-wishers including Hershel Martin, an instructor at the college. (Photo by Murrel Bland)