The annual event brings families to campus where they can take tours, purchase Ranger gear, shop for tuition scholarships at local businesses and attend a Ranger tailgate and football game.

The day started with registration at Northwestern Follett Bookstore, where families received free tickets to the football game.  Students and their families were then able to hear from Northwestern’s President Dr. Janet Cunningham and had the opportunity to meet with Northwestern faculty members. 

Several Alva businesses participated in “Shopping for Tuition” on Friday and Saturday, and families were invited to visit merchants to register to win tuition waivers for the spring semester.  Names were drawn for first through third prizes of $500, $300 and $200 tuition waivers that were provided by the Northwestern Foundation.

Families also received recognition for traveling the farthest.   

The winners were announced at between the first and second quarter of the football game. Registered families who were present to win include: Emily Eaton, Calumet sophomore, $200; Alexander Svetgoff, Oklahoma City freshman, $300; and Montana McPhail, Ashland (Kan.) freshman, $500.

The family members recognized as traveling farthest were attendees Jeff and Leesa Hochhalter.  They traveled 961 miles to attend Family Day from Gilbert, Ariz. to visit son, freshman Brady Hochhalter. 

“We were excited to see how many families were able to come out to the Ranger tailgate and football game,” said Calleb Mosburg, dean of student affairs and enrollment management. “We had a great turn out and couldn’t have asked for better weather.”

-NW-

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) is sponsoring a day of seminars concerning Human Trafficking, Tuesday, Oct. 8., 10 a.m. at the Alva Middle School auditorium, 11 a.m. at the Alva High School auditorium  and 6:30 p.m. at the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Education Center, room 109.

Officer Michael Snowden, of the OBN’s (Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control) Electronic Surveillance and Intelligence division, will be speaking.

“Human Trafficking is a terrible problem,” said Dr. Karen Linstrum, assistant professor of psychology and AAUW vice president of programs. “Part of the solution to prevention is educating young boys and girls about the issue, and focus on developing positive self-esteem because perpetrators are known to prey on young people with low self-esteem between ages of 12 and 16.”

This event is free and open to the public.

For more information please contact Linstrum at (580) 327-8148 or at kslinstrum@nwosu.edu.

-NW-

Matt Deighton, an author, entrepreneur and international speaker, from Greensburg, Kan. will be at Northwestern Oklahoma State University on Wednesday, Oct. 9, to speak on the importance of sustainable living.  Deighton will speak at 7 p.m.  in the Education Center (EC) room 109.

May of 2007 the entire town of Greensburg, Kan., was destroyed by an EF5 tornado. After his home was destroyed, Deighton became instrumental in the rebuilding of the community as the volunteer coordinator during the clean up and rebuilding efforts. 

Deighton’s efforts go beyond the tragedy of Greensburg.  He has volunteered with families of 9-11, worked disaster recovery in 10 states and was involved in a “pay it forward” trip to Sendi, Japan.

This event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the CORE (Conserving Our Ranger Environment) student organization.

For more information please contact Dr. Steven Mackie at (580) 213-3121 or swmackie@nwosu.edu.

-NW-

Northwestern Oklahoma State University encourages everyone to participate in the upcoming Oklahoma Blood Institute (OBI) blood drive in the Student Center Ranger Room on the Alva campus from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 9, and Thursday, Oct. 10. The President’s Leadership Class (PLC) is sponsoring this drive.

Blood donors will receive a free T-shirt, bonus points in participating classes and free sandwiches from Chartwell’s catering. 

“One in three people will need blood in a lifetime,” said John Armitage, president and CEO of OBI.  “That is why it is important to donate every 56 days for patients in our local hospitals who need blood to survive.”

For more information about the blood drive at Northwestern or to volunteer for the event, contact Rachel Stewart, special events coordinator, at (580) 327-8178 or rsstewart@nwosu.edu.

-NW-

A new endowment connected with Northwestern’s Title III Strengthening Institutions grant has been established with several different components working together to reach the ultimate goal of increasing student success at Northwestern.

A new endowment connected with Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Title III Strengthening Institutions grant has been established with several different components working together to reach the ultimate goal of increasing student success at Northwestern.

An account has been established through Northwestern’s Foundation to match $10,000 a year from the grant with hopes of reaching $100,000 at the end of the five year grant. Federal funds of $1.57 million fund 100 percent of this five-year sponsored project that includes a maximum of $50,000 for an endowment. Northwestern must match this amount with private, non-governmental funding sources. The endowment will allow certain aspects of the grant to continue even after the grant has ended.

One component of the grant is to monitor those students that would be considered “at risk.” Intrusive advising is used and consists of frequently checking up on students. Dr. Mike Knedler, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, said advisers contact these students and ask them how things are going, providing extra support for that particular body of students.

“We have created this early alert system on Rangernet where instructors go if they notice a student is having problems,” Knedler said. “It’s a more robust early alert system than what we used to have in place.”

The second component of the grant is faculty development and course redesign.

“The faculty development is for exploration of new pedagogical methods to engage students in the modern world in the learning environment,” Knedler said. “It allows an opportunity for faculty to gather together to explore new methods of teaching, new assessment methodology, in order to help students be successful. Students aren’t the same as they were 20 years ago. You can’t teach them the same and expect them to produce the same results.”

Course redesign will allow for the redesign of gateway courses, particularly general education courses that all students are required to take such as Composition I, Biology and College Algebra. Knedler said these are large courses that sometimes students struggle with and course redesign will help ensure student success.

Knedler composed the grant and Dr. Dennis Angle, Title III Director, manages the day to day running of the grant. There is an institutional monitoring team that meets periodically to review progress.

For more information or questions regarding this grant, contact Angle at (580) 327-8130 or drangle@nwosu.edu .

### Northwestern Foundation Release ###

Northwestern Oklahoma State University alumni and friends are invited to a choir concert featuring  the Northwestern Oklahoma State University choir Sunday, October 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the Woodward campus commons area. 

Hosted by the Greater Woodward Northwestern Alumni Task Force, this fall event is an opportunity for alumni and friends of the university to enjoy the vocals of the Northwestern choir and reconnect with fellow Rangers. A light reception will take place at 6:30 p.m.  

Admission to the event is free. The Woodward campus commons area is located at 2700 34th Street in Woodward.  The Greater Woodward Northwestern Alumni Task Force includes Kristen Mravinec, Charlie Burns, Dr. Deena Fisher, Trudy Hoffman, Linda Phillips, Karen Stephenson, Shawna Stewart, Scott Ware and Michelle Williamson.

To RSVP or for more details, please contact Lizabeth Richey, director of alumni relations, at (580) 327-8594 or lrrichey@nwosu.edu. 

This is a Northwestern Foundation release.

###

Button salespersons are invited to pick up their packets then to begin selling buttons.

Northwestern fans on and off campus are encouraged to show their pride by purchasing a button as a way of supporting the annual event set for Oct. 24-26.  The sale of buttons is the primary funding source for Homecoming, and supporters are encouraged to buy buttons even if they will not be able to attend all the events.

Making the button even more of a great deal, some local merchants will be offering discounts to patrons who wear a Homecoming button into their businesses during the week of Homecoming. A list of discounts and participating merchants is available at www.nwosu.edu/button-discounts. 

“Supporting Homecoming is priceless,” said Karen Koehn, button sales chair.  “The buttons pay for every aspect of homecoming, everything from floats, to Miss Cinderella, to the banners that are strung across the streets at the downtown square.  We've been fortunate to keep the price of the button to $10, so everyone can afford one. The button alone saves an individual if attending Miss Cinderella or the football game.”     

The best way to support Homecoming is to purchase a button, the proceeds of which provide a financial foundation to ensure Homecoming remains a major event for years to come.         

A homecoming button sells for $10 and is a $38 value, providing admission to the Miss Cinderella Talent Show and the Miss Cinderella Pageant, each of which have a ticket price of $10, and tickets to the homecoming football game against Southeastern Oklahoma State University are $18.  

Angelia Case, academic projects assistant/media specialist, designed the button.

Koehn has 41 sales persons across Northwest Oklahoma and urges the community and all Rangers to buy a Homecoming button to show Ranger pride.

“Help us, Alva and Northwestern have one of the best Homecomings ever,” Koehn said.  “Ride, Rangers, Ride!”

Each building on the Alva campus will have a button sales representative. Contact Dr. Aaron Mason, associate professor of political science and co-chair of the homecoming committee, at (580) 327-8522 or mason@nwosu.edu to find out who is representing each building. Lori Coonrod, Enid student service coordinator, (580) 213-3147, will be the button sales representative for the Enid campus, while Kristen Mravinek, Woodward campus coordinator, may be contacted for buttons in Woodward at (580) 254-2503.

Anyone who wants to purchase buttons and is not contacted by one of the salespersons can buy them at the Alva Chamber of Commerce office located at 502 Oklahoma Blvd., (580) 327-1647; the Northwestern Foundation office in the Student Center, (580) 327-8593; or the Northwestern business office in Herod Hall, (580) 327-8536.

Buttons also will be available at Rialto, (580) 327-0535; Sights and Sounds/Radio Shack, (580) 327-0409; Daisy Village, (580) 327-3467; Holder Drug, (580) 327-3332; and the Cherokee Strip Museum, (580) 327-2030.  Those interested also can contact any of the listed salespersons.

-NW-

Contestants and their sponsors met with the pageant committee to review all requirements and rules associated with the talent show on Oct. 24, the pageant itself on Oct. 25, and Northwestern’s homecoming parade on Saturday, Oct. 26.

Dr. Janet Cunningham, president, welcomed the contestants to campus.

Participants were assigned to jewel groups-Amethyst, Emerald, Ruby and Sapphire for judging—and had their photos taken for publicity purposes and a program. The committee covered rehearsals, judging criteria, wardrobe requirements and all other activities connected with the pageant.

The 2013 contestants and the schools they represent are: Rachel Carter, Alva; Lauren Crow, Arnett; Briseida Sarabia, Buffalo; Heather Armbruster, Burlington; Macy Starks, Cherokee; Rachel Millard, Chisholm; Victoria Kimbrell, Cimarron; Olivia Felber, Kremlin-Hillsdale; Ana De La Torre, Laverne; Ana Ordaz, Midway; Hannah Ruble, Mooreland; Kellie Wostal, Ringwood; Kaci Livingston, Seiling; Olivia Little, Sharon-Mutual; Ashlee Shyrock, Shattuck; Courtney Roark, South Barber (Kan.); Kelsey Castle, Timberlake; Hannah Darr, Waynoka; and Amanda Covalt, Woodward.

Admission to either the Miss Cinderella Talent Show on Thursday, Oct. 24, or the Miss Cinderella Pageant on Friday, Oct. 25, is $10 each night for adults and $5 for students with a student ID or $10 total with the purchase of a Homecoming button.  Buttons will be available at the door on Talent Show night. Both events will be held in Herod Hall Auditorium. The button (with a value of $38) also is good for admission to the football game with Southeastern Oklahoma State University on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 3 p.m., at Ranger Field.  Tickets at the gate will be $18.

Buttons, the main source of funding homecoming, may be purchased from Daisy Village, 506 Flynn; Holder Drug, 513 Barnes Ave; the Cherokee Strip Museum, 901 14th St.; Rialto, 516 Flynn; Radio Shack, 609 College; the Alva Chamber of Commerce, 502 Oklahoma Blvd., the Northwestern Foundation and Alumni Office, the Northwestern Business office, all in Alva. People in the Enid and Woodward areas also will be able to purchase buttons at Northwestern’s campus sites in those locations. Contact Lori Coonrod, Enid student service coordinator, at (580) 213-3147 at the Enid campus, and Kristen Mravinek, Woodward campus coordinator, at (580) 254-2503 at the Woodward campus. Buttons also may be purchased through Karen Koehn, button sales chair, at (580) 327-0344 or kkoehn@nwtech.edu.  

Button purchasers need to be aware that seating at events is on a first-come, first-served basis.

-NW-

Employees and students at Northwestern Oklahoma State University will be able to enjoy a few days off and out of classes as the university will close for fall break on Thursday, Oct. 17, and Friday, Oct. 18.

Northwestern’s offices will be closed and no classes will be held during fall break. Classes will resume and all university offices will open, with regular business hours, on Monday, Oct. 21.

-NW-

Float entry deadline for the Northwestern Oklahoma State University/Alva Homecoming 2013, “Ranger Vacation: It’s a Family Tradition,” has been set for Tuesday, Oct. 22.  Entry forms must be turned into the Office of Student Services on the first floor of the Fine Arts Building, room 126, by 5 p.m.

All entries will participate in the Homecoming parade on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 10 a.m.  Floats must be complete and in line by 9 a.m. in order for a portion of the judging to begin.  Judging will take place before and during the parade.  Winners will be announced during the awards ceremony at 11:30 a.m. on the Woods County Courthouse stage.

When registering there are three float categories to choose from, campus organization or group, commercial business or off campus non-profit group. Participants will be in the running for prizes of $200 for first place, $150 for second place and $100 for third place.

Entrants in the float contest are asked to design their floats according to the homecoming theme. Dress, music and photos based on the idea “Ranger Vacation: It’s a Family Tradition” could be used as part of the float design.

In addition, each float in all categories will be considered for the President’s Award ($100 and engraved plaque) for the best overall float, and the Alumni Association Award ($75) for an exceptional display of Ranger spirit.

Campus and non-profit organizations may qualify for up to $200 in reimbursement.  These groups must provide receipts verifying expenses.  The first five groups to turn in receipts will be reimbursed. 

Visit www.nwosu.edu/float-entry-rules for entry forms, to receive specific information for reimbursements and rules/guidelines for float building.

Office hours for the Office of Student Services are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

All applications should include a sketch or design, including details, for approval.  There also is a $15 deposit for groups using the Armory for float building.

For application information and other questions, contact float chairman Dr. Aaron Mason at (580) 327-8522.

-NW-

Northwestern Oklahoma State University's annual Ranger Preview event for high school seniors will take place Saturday, Nov. 2, at 8 a.m. in Percefull Fieldhouse.

"We hold Ranger Preview to encourage students to visit our campus and to take the opportunity to showcase Northwestern,” said Carly Williams, director of recruitment.       

“Seniors will get to see the excellent education and college experience we have to offer.  We have tremendous involvement in this event from faculty, staff and students in welcoming our potential freshmen to campus."

Any high school senior who attends Ranger Preview, is admitted to Northwestern as a full-time student at the Alva campus and lives in Alva during the academic year will receive a $600 scholarship.

The Office of Recruitment encourages pre-registration.  Online registration is available at www.nwosu.edu/ranger-preview or by following the Ranger Preview icon on Northwestern’s home page, www.nwosu.edu.  If a student doesn’t get the opportunity to pre-register, walk-ins are still welcome.

The schedule of events for the day includes registration beginning at 8 a.m., with a welcome at 10 a.m.  Following the welcome, students will tour the campus, meet with faculty members from each academic area and also have the opportunity to meet with many of the student organizations on campus.  The day will end with lunch.

Those attending also will get passes to the Ranger Rodeo that evening.

To register by phone or to find out more information about Ranger Preview, call the Office of Recruitment at (580) 327-8546.

-NW-

Four men from different walks of life came together for their first performance in 1977 to become America’s favorite cowboys: Ranger Doug, Too Slim, Woody Paul and Joey. These men make up the entertaining group Riders in the Sky, who will be performing in Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Herod Hall Auditorium Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Together they are a theoretical plasma physicist and wildlife manager; a galvanizer, Life Scout and English major; shot putter and Bluegrass Boy; and a Polka Hall of Fame member. Riders in the Sky are the only exclusively Western artist group to have won a Grammy, and these entertainers have won two.

With all of the original members, Riders in the Sky have been keepers of the flame passed on by the Sons of the Pioneers, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, reviving and revitalizing the genre, for more than 30 years. While remaining true to the integrity of Western music, they have themselves become modern-day icons by branding the genre with their own legendary wacky humor and way-out Western wit, and all along encouraging buckaroos and buckarettes to live life "The Cowboy Way!"

As a classic cowboy quartet, the trail has led them to heights they could have never predicted. Riders in the Sky's first official public performance was Nov. 11, 1977, at the erstwhile Nashville nightspot "Phranks & Steins."  This sparked a blazing future. The group has chalked up more than 6,100 concert appearances in all 50 states and 10 countries, appearing in venues everywhere from the Nashville National Guard Armory to Carnegie Hall, and from county fairs to the Hollywood Bowl. Their cowboy charisma and comedic flair made them naturals for TV, and landed them their own weekly show on TNN, as well as a Saturday morning series on CBS. They have been guests on countless TV specials, documentaries and variety shows, appearing with everyone from Barney to Penn & Teller. Their animated likenesses have shared the screen with Daffy Duck on the Cartoon Network, and the Disney Channel's Stanley.

In addition to penning award-winning songs for their own albums, they wrote the score for Pixar Animation's 2002 Academy Award-winning short "For the Birds." They composed the theme song for the Internet cartoon show "Thomas Timberwolf" by renowned Bugs Bunny creator Chuck Jones, but the animated character that history will most certainly link to Riders In The Sky is the loveable cowboy Woody, as Riders performed "Woody's Round Up" in Toy Story 2. The album garnered the Riders in the Sky their first Grammy Award in 2001 for Best Musical Album for Children. Two years later, Riders roped their second Grammy in the same category, for "Monsters Inc. - Scream Factory Favorites," the companion CD to Pixar's award-winning movie.

With countless awards and prestigious honors, Riders in the Sky became the first, and to date only, exclusively Western music artist to join the Grand Ole Opry. In 1988, they recorded comedy skits for the album "Riders Radio Theatre" and launched the long-running international weekly radio show of the same name on public radio. Keeping pace with the ever-changing technological landscape, in 2006 "Ranger Doug's Classic Cowboy Corral" debuted on XM Satellite Radio, still heard weekly on SiriusXM Channel 56.

All Concert Series performances will be in Herod Hall Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.  Season tickets are now available at Holder Drug, the NWOSU Bookstore, Graceful Arts Center, Rialto or by calling (580) 327-8692. Adult season tickets are $40, and student season tickets are $20. Tickets to individual performances will be sold on an “as available” basis at $15 for adults and $10 for students.

The acts to follow The Riders in the Sky are Ted Vigil: a John Denver tribute, Dec. 10; The Fantasticks, Feb. 18; and FullSet, March 11.

The reserved seating section at each concert will be held until five minutes prior to the performance. 

Contact Dr. Irene Messoloras, chair of the Department of Fine Arts, at (580) 327-8692 or irmessoloras@nwosu.edu, to purchase tickets or pick them up at Holder Drug, the NWOSU Bookstore, Graceful Arts Center or Rialto.            

The Northwest Oklahoma Concert Series is supported by the Alva Tourism Convention Development Committee, the Oklahoma Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Charles Morton Share Trust.

-NW-

Lowe is a biology and chemistry major and is a member of Student Government Association (SGA), Rangers Excelling at Leadership (R.E.A.L), biology club, CORE and Zion Lutheran Church bell choir.  She is the daughter of Gary Lowe Sr.          

Ranger King candidate Derrick Stephens, from Supulpa, is a junior majoring in criminal justice.  He loves hunting, fishing and hanging out with the friends he has made at Northwestern.  Stephens has been a cheerleader for five years and is sponsored by the Ranger Cheerleading squad. He is the son of Turner and Amanda Kindred.

The second Ranger King candidate is Jake West. West is a senior health and sports science major from Tonkawa.  He enjoys fishing, playing intramural sports, working at the Wellness Center, and growing out his mustache. West is sponsored by the chemistry club. His parents are Tige and Kristi West.

Patrick Wilson is the final Ranger King candidate.  Wilson is a senior speech and theatre major from Aubrey, Texas.  He is a drum major for the Ranger Marching Band, plays the french horn in the concert band and is a member of Castle Players.  Sponsored by the Castle Players, he is the son of Harold and Martha Wilson.

Ranger Queen candidate Jennifer George is a senior early childhood and elementary education major from Wakita.  She is sponsored by the Student Oklahoma Education Association (SOEA).  George is a member of SOEA along with SGA, Northwestern Scholar Ambassador (NSA) and CORE club.  She enjoys going on motorcycle rides and visiting her little cousins.  George is the daughter of Kelly and Debbie George.       

The second candidate is Baylei Zehr, a senior from Copeland, Kan. She is majoring in English education and is sponsored by the Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority.  She has been a part of the sorority for four years.  Zehr also is a part of SOEA, CORE club and NSA.  She enjoys going to sporting events and watching movies. Zehr is the daughter of Jay and Angie Zehr.       

The final Ranger Queen candidate is Paige Little. She is a junior biology/chemistry major from Edmond.  She participates in SGA, NSA and Medical Sciences Club.  Little is sponsored by NSA.  She enjoys running, photography, and shopping.  Her parents are Tom and Beth Menasco.                  

Northwestern students will vote for the 2013 Ranger King and Queen Oct. 21 and 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Student Center on the Alva campus.

Ranger King and Ranger Queen Coronations will take place during halftime of the Homecoming football game against Southeastern Oklahoma State University on Saturday, Oct. 26.  Game starts at 3 p.m.

For more information about Homecoming events, visit www.nwosu.edu/homecoming. 

-NW-

A parade can provide enjoyment and lifelong memories for children. To make sure this happens, the Northwestern-Alva Homecoming Committee is encouraging parents to help make the parade safe for children.

To make the parade an enjoyable experience, the Homecoming committee is asking that parents keep all children in the parking area on the side of the street and not in the streets.

“Cars, animals, tractors all add a certain quality to the parade,” Dr. Aaron Mason, Homecoming co-chair, said.  “For us to keep all these elements, it’s important for children to remain back a safe distance.”

Mason, along with Dr. Eric Schmaltz, Homecoming co-chair, said that they have stressed the importance of safety to those who have entered the parade with a float.  They said that groups that throw out candy in the parade are to have walkers who distribute candy into the parking area.  Candy cannot be thrown from any float or moving vehicle.

“We want everybody to have a great time on Saturday, but most importantly we want them to be safe,” Schmaltz said.

-NW-

Five bands will march around the square during Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Homecoming parade at 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 26.

Northwestern band director Dr. Kenneth Drobnak is thrilled to participate in his first Northwestern homecoming as band director.  In addition to Northwestern’s marching band, junior high and high school bands are coming from across Oklahoma and Kansas.

Those bands marching and their directors, listed by class, are:

Junior High A – Pioneer-Pleasant Vale Junior Middle School, Sherri Lohmann.

Class AA –Ringwood High School, Hank Nichols; and Pioneer-Pleasant Vale High School, Lohmann.

Class AAA –Alva High School, Cara Bradt.

Open Class (non-competing) --Kismet-Southwestern Heights Band, Erika Clausing.

Two of the directors leading their bands in the parade are Northwestern alumni. They include Lohmann, class of 2000 and Bradt, class of 2007.

Bands will gather on Ranger Field during halftime of the Homecoming football game with Southeastern Oklahoma State University to present a massed band performance.  Game time is set for 3 p.m.

To see more information about Homecoming events, visit www.nwosu.edu/homecoming.

-NW-

Calling all Ranger fans! Calling all Ranger fans!

Northwestern Oklahoma State University welcomes employees and students to Rally ‘Round the Ranger at noon on Friday, Oct. 25.

At 11:45 a.m., captains from Northwestern athletic teams will meet to ring the bell in front of Herod Hall.  After the bell ringing, students, employees and those who gather will head to the Ranger statue for the pep rally.

A free lunch will be provided for employees and students who attend.  The picnic-style lunch will be held on the lawn near the Ranger.

Rally ‘Round the Ranger is a pep rally funded by the university to increase spirit and express thanks during Homecoming week.

            -NW-

Griswold is a senior at Oklahoma City University majoring in acting.  She has performed in numerous productions including professional co-productions with Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park. As a member of the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, she has held several leadership positions within the house. Griswold is a graduate of Union High School in Tulsa.

Performing since the age of 5 beginning with Theatre Arts in Broken Arrow, where she learned to sing, dance and entertain, Griswold has won several awards; none more life changing than at the age of 8 winning the Oscar Mayer Weiner Jingle Jam Contest when she appeared on the Rosie O’Donnell Show and was awarded a $20,000 scholarship. She has had the chance to perform all over the world including London, England, while she was studying abroad at Kingston University. 

Griswold began her journey with the Miss Oklahoma Organization when she was eligible to compete for Miss Oklahoma’s Outstanding Teen at age 13.  She competed in the Teen program for several years, placing in the top five and becoming first runner-up to Alicia Clifton in 2008. Miss Bricktown was the first and only local title Griswold held while competing for the title of Miss Oklahoma. In addition to winning the title of Miss Oklahoma 2013, she was awarded the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award, was a Preliminary Swimsuit winner, a Rookie Talent winner, and tied for an Overall Preliminary Talent Award.  She also was the Rookie Interview Winner and Rookie of the Year. 

Experiencing adversity at a young age, Kelsey lost her mother when she was 15. From that early experience was born a heart for the family that is the Miss Oklahoma Organization and the drive to give back to a community that had embraced her during an incredibly tough time.

Her platform, A.R.T.: Artists Reaching Together, is a mentorship program that gives children with disabilities the opportunity to grow and develop creatively through the arts, improving their self-esteem and quality of life. Griswold’s plan as Miss Oklahoma is to educate people about the need for artistic development in children with disabilities, while also promoting the production of these programs throughout the state.

She has been incredibly involved in her community including church and school functions. She was selected as a speaker for the Methodist State Conference held in Oklahoma City, and was chosen as the student speaker for the Incoming Student Matriculation Ceremony. 

She is the daughter of General Edward Wheeler and the late Alinda Griswold of Tulsa.           

Miss Cinderella Talent Show is Thursday, Oct. 24.  Julia Benbrook, Miss Cinderella 2012 will emcee the show.  Benbrook is currently a student at OSU. 

Tickets for Miss Cinderella will be available at the door on the nights of the Talent Show and Pageant on Oct. 24 and 25. Tickets are $10 each night, or a Homecoming button can be purchased on Thursday at the door for $10, which will grant entry into both Miss Cinderella events and the Ranger football game ($18 at the gate) against Southeastern Oklahoma State University at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26. Button purchasers need to be aware that seating at events is on a first-come, first-served basis.

-NW-

The Miss Cinderella Talent Show was on Thursday with interviews taking place Friday morning, ending with the Pageant on Friday.

First runner-up was Kelsey Castle, Miss Timberlake; second runner-up was Ashlee Shryock, Miss Shattuck; the third runner-up award went to Kaci Livingston Miss Seiling; and fourth runner-up was Victoria Kimbrell, Miss Cimarron.

Macy Starks, Miss Cherokee, was voted as Miss Congeniality by her fellow contestants. As the winner of Miss Congeniality she will receive a one-year room waiver.

Amanda Covalt also took home the interview portion of the contest, as well as the talent award.  She performed a vocal solo to “Don’t Rain on My Parade.”  

As Miss Cinderella, Covalt will receive eight semesters of tuition, a one-year room waiver scholarship at Northwestern-Alva, and for winning the interview portion of the contest, she will receive a book scholarship.

All Miss Cinderella contestants are a part of the annual homecoming parade that takes place Saturday at 10 a.m. on the downtown square.

Each contestant who participates in the Miss Cinderella Pageant automatically receives a one-year tuition scholarship for Northwestern-Alva.

The first and second runners-up will receive six and four semesters of tuition, respectively.

Third and fourth runners-up will receive a one-year room waiver in addition to the tuition scholarship each contestant already receives. 

-NW-

Baylei Zehr and Jake West were named the 2013 Ranger King and Queen during halftime of the Ranger Homecoming football game Saturday.  They are pictured with flower girl Zoe Parker and crown bearer Tucker Hannaford.

Zehr is an English education major.  She was sponsored by the Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority, and has been a part of the sorority for four years.  Zehr also is a part of Student Oklahoma Education Association (SOEA), Conserving Our Ranger Environment (CORE) club and Northwestern Scholar Ambassador (NSA).  She enjoys going to sporting events and watching movies. Zehr is the daughter of Jay and Angie Zehr.           

West is majoring in history education and health and sports science.  He enjoys fishing, playing intramural sports, working at the Wellness Center, and growing out his mustache. West was sponsored by the Chemistry Club. His parents are Tige and Kristi West. 

In a separate election, Sydnie Lowe, a freshman from Neosho, Mo., was chosen as the Freshman Queen.

The flower girl was Zoe Parker, daughter of Alan and Diane Hall.  Tucker Hannaford served as the crown bearer.  He is the son of Dr. Bo and Tara Hannaford.

-NW-

Northwestern Oklahoma State University's annual Ranger Preview event for high school seniors will take place Saturday, Nov. 2, at 8 a.m. in Percefull Fieldhouse.

Any high school senior who attends Ranger Preview, is admitted to Northwestern as a full-time student at the Alva campus and lives in Alva during the academic year will receive a $600 scholarship.

The Office of Recruitment encourages pre-registration.  Online registration is available at www.nwosu.edu/ranger-preview or by following the Ranger Preview icon on Northwestern’s home page, www.nwosu.edu.  If a student doesn’t get the opportunity to pre-register, walk-ins are still welcome.

Registration will start at 8 a.m., with a welcome at 10 a.m.  Following the welcome, students will tour the campus, meet with faculty members from each academic area and also have the opportunity to meet with many of the student organizations on campus.  The day will end with lunch.

Those attending also will get passes to the Ranger Rodeo that evening.

To register by phone or to find out more information about Ranger Preview, call the Office of Recruitment at (580) 327-8546 or email recruit@nwosu.edu. Their office also can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nwosuadmissions and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/nwosuadmissions (@nwosuadmissions).

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