GEAR UP Hosts Camps On Wilburton Campus
(Press Release 08-04-08)
Hank Mooney, Office of Public Information

Eastern Oklahoma State College’s GEAR UP for a Brighter Tomorrow grant program partnered with SkyRanch to present iLead Me, Inc. camps to area GEAR UP students. Me, Inc. camps are designed to work with students to help them establish a sense of ownership in their lives and establish a positive direction for their futures. The focus of program is to help students learn they are the President and CEO of their corporation, “Me, Inc.” They are responsible for the decisions they make which will determine the success or failure of their corporation, i.e. future. Students learned the SkyRanch “C”crets of Success: “C”orporation, “C”onflict, “C”urriculum, “C”an, “C”ollege and “C”areer.

SkyRanch School Programs Outreach Director Jim Franks led the team of nine during the three–day, two–night camps. Students arrived on campus and were welcomed by GEAR UP and Eastern Oklahoma State College staff. They were divided into teams—buzzards, dolphins, lightning, ninjas, outlaws, owls, sharks, and storm. After settling into their dorm rooms, campers met in Mitchell Hall auditorium.

“KNOW.” Franks began by challenging the students about “KNOW.” He challenged the to stretch to the next level. Give your dreams a new beginning. Learn to like yourself. Have confidence in yourself. Feed your good habits. Embrace the place where you are. Franks asked each student to design their own self–reflective trademark. A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination of these that identifies and distinguishes the source of goods of one party from those of others. Each person has his/her own trademark—how people identify or distinguish themselves. Franks asked if the way people view them is how they want to be perceived.

“BE.” Franks asked the students to assess themselves to see if they are “trustworthy, respectful, responsible, fair, caring, and good citizens.” Franks challenged them with a question, “What is character?” They soon found out “the measure of a man’s real character is what he would do if he would never be found out.”

“DO.” Franks asked, “Does your life influence others to do good and positive things for themselves and others?” He encouraged them to live a life of positive , be passionate about what you do, live life to its fullest, but always live with the future in mind. Franks consistently reminded them that the decisions they make today will have a vast impact on their future. They should live a life that is bold and persistent, and have goals for the future and be persistent in pursuing them.

The “Mecosystem” discussion forced students to develop a positive self image, discover the power of their words and thoughts, let go of the pas,; find strength through adversity, learn to give, and choose to do something.

“Live dangerously!” Franks insisted. “This isn’t about doing stupid stuff or even about living an adrenaline–filled X Games life. This is about taking risks—living outside your comfort zone.” Franks had three more questions for the students. Are you a leader? He who leads with no one following him is only taking a walk. Leadership is the ability to obtain followers.

Are you a person of quality character? Your reputation will precede you.

Do you live a life of action? Leaders act. They bring together everything they are, everything they believe, and everything they know how to do to provide purpose, direction, and motivation. The days were filled with educational and outdoor activities. Students also completed collegiate challenges in teams.

“Perhaps their favorite part of the camp was The Lost Token game,” said GEAR UP Project Director Linda Morgan. “The students worked in teams to compete for the tokens (tennis balls). If someone broke away from the group, the entire team was pelted with water, oatmeal and/or flour. It sounds crazy, but they loved it!”

The camp was free to GEAR UP participants. Eastern Oklahoma State College received the $6.7 million grant in 2006. Eastern has partnered with area schools to provide students and school personnel with educational opportunities.

A listing, by school, of area students attending the first camp includes:

Crowder:
McKenzie Goldsby, Kailey Greenway, Coty Grogan, Kimberly Heaslet, Tyler Hubbard, Dylan Jacques, Denisha Johnson, Dakota Jones, Jessica Lightle, Rissa Mayo, Bridget Packard, Kelton Pratt, Ronald Shumway Jr., Joey Smith, Rachel Stringfellow, Cherish Wilkerson, DaNetta Wilkerson, Ashley Willis, Skylar Wood, and Andrew Zdeb.
 
Haileyville:
Sarah Davidson, David Dawson, Michelle Gragg, Ryan Griffin, Rachel Looper, Anthony Monroe, Joe Nickel, Hailey Robinson, Matthew Ross, Jacob Saulsbury, and Andrea Young.
 
Keota:
Jacob Bennett, Corbin Chadwick, Blake Hearaton,Chasten Hume, Brittany Knott, Summer MedicineBird, Sabrina Patton, Rayden Pearson, and Kalib Rainwater.
 
McCurtain:
Rebecca Dill, Mikala Durham, Cody Easley, Jerra Eaton, Shayle Henderson, Miranda Jones, Stanton Myers, Kenneth Nunn, Blake Palmer, Shelby Place, Melissa Prater, and Matthew Rocha.
 
Wilburton:
Kristyn Adams, Regina Bockus, Joshua Champion II, Cody Donoley, Daryl Easley, Brandon Gerard, Kendall Glenn, Spencer Gray, Charles Higdon IV, Lexey Lund, ARhonda Martin, Kaley Menasco, Matthew Mitchell, Hanna Mooney, Hayley Myers, Casey Pitchford, Zachary Ramirez, Samantha Riley, Jessica Robinette, Phay Rowan, Cody Scott, Kaitlin Smith, Brennon Watkins, Skye Webb, Amber Wilson, DeKayetlynn Wilson, Jerri Wilson, Chelsea Woods, Greg Yang, and Taylor Young.

A listing, by school, of area students attending the second camp includes:

Antlers:
Marissa Aguero, Helen Beck, Brittany Bell, Jessica Blan, Brittany Cole, Melinida Crow, Thomas Davis, Arron Dickinson, Elizabeth Guerrant, Stormy Hise, Kayleen Larkins, Shylor Lawrence, Tyler Little, Travis Petty, Chelsie Robbins, Andi Routon, Elizabeth Rowland, Crystal Saxton, Jessie Shrader, Jacob Sorrells, Caleb Stephens, Corena Upchurch, Cameron Waldrum, Marlee Williams, Emily Wolfe, and Heather Wright.
 
Buffalo Valley:
Kennady Cochran, Ashley Collins, Lacey Emmert, Paige Garvin, Micale Gilbert, Justin Jones, Audra King, Kamber Vasquez, and Remington Young.
 
Panola:
Megan Brooks, Adrianna Coley, Anna Goad, Samantha Goad, Eva Holcomb, Mark Ivey, Deadra Strader, Elizabeth Tennant, and Sydney Underwood.
 
Quinton:
Tiffany Ary, Felecia Benson, Chelsea Brennan, Christopher Callaway, Samantha Ford, Nicole Lemons, Daniel Loyd, Chelsea McClary, David Michael, Rabeka Needham, Kyle Pearson, Zachary Ruiz, Kaley Smith, Jeremy Stockton, Shayla Tabers, Delia Thurman, and Derrick Turpin.
 
Rattan:
Pamila Dennisson, Brianna Hammonds, Melissa Hurlbert, Tammy Hurlburt, Alana Reynolds, Kendra Rice, Carrissa Robinson, Brittany Roden, and Christina Ryder.
 
Stigler:
Kolton Bryant, Ashton Buffington, Tommie Burson, Kristin Clark, Shawn Cowen, Amanda Daniels, Heather Dotson, Nicole Edwards, Brian Farabee, Joshua Few, Lacey Gamblin, Harleigh Heady, Ryan Jackson, Jade Martin, Andrea Mears, Evan Moss, Nikita Muse, Cortland Oxford, Johnny Readnour, Virgil Rutherford III, Dustin Simmons, Lauren Smith, Steven Spears, Kaylee Stiles, Ryan Sundquist, Dillon Underwood, and Erika Waldron.

A listing, by school, of area students attending the third camp includes:

Canadian:
Nathan Allen, Harley Beezley, Tabatha Blevins, Harley Conley, Desiree Cottman, Carlos Delmancha, Danielle Dunkin, Jasmine Espenshade, Karissa Faulkner, Heather Finch, Delaney Freeman, Jacob Frith, Joshua Gaylor, Cassy Hardee, Donald Holcombe, Darion Jordan, Alicia Kionute, Mika Kionute, Robyn Mitchell, Shelby Patillo, Kelsey Peterman, Deedria Reynolds, Whitney Ronk, Kathleen Rute, Lauren Smith, Tiler Spade, Arian Talbert, Lacy Ward, Gabrielle Weigel, Joshua Welch, and Eva Wilson.
 
Clayton:
Alexis Chabot, Amy Davis, Bradley Gibbs, Stetson Johnson, Dalton Little, Matthew Little, Dylan Martin, Branden Potts, Deniecsha Scarberry, Skie Schumann, and Briana Speers.
 
Hartshorne:
Jackie Angel, Logan Byrd, Christopher Cantrell, Magan Cassada, Kirsten Dalpoas, Chad Gaylor, Martez Keith, Tomas Lozano, Kayla Stiltner, Brandon Todd, and Raina Wansick.
 
Indianola:
Casey Coker, J. D. Coker, Steven Kasheta, Jr., Casey Mascolino, Breanna Mathews, Dakota Morrow, Anna Powell, Matthew Powell, and Thomas Solus.
 
McAlester:
Glen Bennett II, Emily Bethune, Lane Blanco, Jessica Daniels, Savana Gooding, Jesse Lane, Michae' Manuel, Brittany McLaughlin, Christoper Pannell-Hyeche, Patrick Roberts, Jana Simmons, Ronnie Sloan, and LaShawnda Walters.
 
Red Oak:
Kendra Coleman, Devan Crose, Kayce Davison, Dylan Fazekas, Alexandria Mabry, Jenna Mabry, Kelsey Noah, Colton Potter, Sericca Rider, Christina Shumaker, and Tori Wadley.
 
Whitesboro:
Albert Dean, Jose (Joey) Garcia, Alizabeth Griffin, Andrew Griffin, Colton Jordan, Burl Kennedy, Garret Low, CaSandra Newell, Gerald Preston, Colton Sisemore, Kayla Smelser, Brooke Woodall, and Tiffany Worrell.