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Telecommunications giant names El Reno as one of 50 finalists for $500,000 Aspire Initiative grant.TRANSCRIPT
El Reno Tribune 04/03/2016
April 5, 2016 3:38 pm /
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USPS No. 170-780USPS No. 170-7802 Sections2 Sections
El Reno, Oklahoma
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Shortly after El Renoschool administratorsand teachers heard anEHS alum tell how as astudent he was allowedto “be himself ” andoffered praise forprograms such as Up-ward Bound, a few werediscussing their hopes oflanding a major grantthat could help today’s
students, as well as thosein the future, learnwhile being themselves.
Piyush Patel wasnever considered “atrisk” while attending
El Reno High Schoolin the early 1990s. Hesaid several teachers
encouraged an “entre-preneurial spirit” andhe praised the Upward
Bound program thathelps students explorecareer opportunities.
Patel would go on tocreate a highly success-ful technology-basedbusiness that he sold twoyears ago for $45 million.
Last week headdressed more than 100people at a Chamber ofCommerce breakfast
Continued to GRANT, Page 10A
By RAY [email protected]
ERPS Foundation hopes AT&T will deliver its worldTelecommunications giant names El Reno as one of 50 finalists for $500,000 Aspire Initiative grant
Can we liberate our children from the model of traditional schooling?The last thing
dedicated teachers wantto think is that they’refulfilling all the dutiesof a baby-sitter andnot much else, sayseducator Mac Bogert.
“I’m often reminded
of Mark Twain’s quote:‘I never let my school-ing interfere with myeducation,’” Bogertsays. “Learning isamong the most excit-ing and enjoyableexperiences we have in
life, yet many studentsand teachers herdedinto our school systemsview school as some-thing to be endured, asif the school day is onelong detention.”
Recent findings
illustrate the problem.In 2015, the NationalAssessment ofEducational Progress(NAEP) showeda decline in math
See SCHOOLING, Page 10A
Photographer/Ray Dyer
Chamber president Gary Baumwart presents a replica cavalry sword to Piyush Patel following the formerEl Reno resident’s talk to more than 100 people at a chamber breakfast.
Blessing Baskets raising funds for Children Summer Food programEl Reno Blessing Baskets
will be raising funds overthe next two weeks to helpsupport the Families withChildren Summer Foodprogram.
The summer food programwas started in 2012 as a way tohelp families with school-age
children during the summermonths when school is not insession. Last year, more than2,000 people were providedfood through this communityeffort.
Donna Dyer, BlessingBaskets coordinator, said thecommunity has been very
supportive of the program.“We work through a partner-ship with The Lord’s Harvestfor purchasing and distribut-ing this food,” she said.
A grant from the MaryK. Ashbrook Foundation,along with support fromthe business community and
individuals have helpedsupport the effort. Last week,Gemini Industries donatedfunds to help support thesummer program.
Dyer said Blessing Basketsanticipates the number of
Continued to BASKETS, Page 11A
Livingwhat life delivers
Piyush Patel was in theeighth grade at Etta DaleJunior High when his teacherwrote a girls name along withher address in Nebraska onthe chalk board and told herstudents to write to her.
Young Patel wrote toLisa Carlo in Nebraska asinstructed and he put hisreturn address on the letter.Lisa wrote back.
Eventually, Patel and Lisawould meet, fall in love, windup attending Oklahoma StateUniversity together and marrya few hours after they bothgraduated on the same day.
Patel’s message to the morethan 100 people inside thecommons area at the Jeff MillsSTEM Center was basicallynever be surprised by what lifehands you. Even in the eighthgrade.
A 1993 graduate of El RenoHigh School, Patel wasaddressing the Chamber ofCommerce audience onWednesday morning. Hisappearance drew the likes of
El Reno grad tells storyof meeting wife, growingbusiness from meager$54 investment
By RAY [email protected]
Continued to PATEL, Page 12A
Countyposts upfor vote
Candidates will soonfile for four countyoffices up for electionthis year.
Those seats areDistrict 2 commissioner,sheriff, county clerk andcourt clerk.
Commissioner DavidAnderson and CourtClerk Marie Ramsey-Hirst have both statedtheir intentions to run.
Sheriff RandallEdwards and CountyClerk Shelley Dickersonboth have announcedthey won’t be runningagain. Edwards said heis keeping his promiseto voters, which wasthat he would not servemore than eight years assheriff.
As for Dickerson, shesays she is not headed
By VICTORIA [email protected]
Filing period for sheriff,commissioner and clerksset for April 13-15
Continued to COUNTY, Page 10A