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Election coverage pages 22-24 Vol 43 • No. 11
www.theactiveage.com Kansas’ Largest Newspaper
October 2022
Brick by brick West High alumni help build back school’s academics, pride
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By Joe Stumpe Bill Reagan’s years at West High School were some of the best of his life. “All I remember are positives,” said Reagan, a member of the Pioneer class of ’64. “The teachers were great.” So when Reagan learned that the school’s graduation rate was languishing behind other Wichita schools, he decided to do something about it. A few short years later, Reagan and other alumni have helped the school raise its graduation rate to the
Photos by Selena Favela
Bill Reagan, kneeling, and other West High almuni, students and staff gather in the school's new Alumni Hall. Alumni are buying commemorative bricks to help students with academics and more. highest it’s been in decades. They’re of our students being able to see, one, dedicated to reviving West’s oncethat our alumni are giving back, and proud athletic tradition as well. two, that they have so much pride and “It’s a huge impact just because passion for the school,” West principal
‘So many checks and balances’ Election volunteers proud of system and their service
By Amy Geiszler-Jones When Lori Hein turned the legal voting age of 18, not only did she cast her vote in her first eligible election — she also worked the polls in Harvey County as a volunteer. That was back in 1976 — the year America celebrated its bicentennial — and the 64-year-old Hein has worked almost every election but a couple since then. County election offices rely on
Questions about services?
Lori Hein community members like Hein to work polling places during elections. While often called volunteers, the workers receive compensation. Generally it’s around minimum wage, which is $7.25 in Kansas, for an election day shift that lasts at least 14 hours. Supervising judges earn around $10 an hour in The Active Age’s readership area of Sedgwick, Harvey
Central Plains Area Agency on Aging/Sedgwick County Department on Aging: 1-855-200-2372
See Polls, page 7
Mark Jolliffe said. “And then third is that it’s improving our school through whether it’s paying for scholarships, facilities, advanced placement tests or dual credit classes. It’s just giving opportunities back to the kids.” David Clark, who is West’s athletic director and unofficial alumni liaison, agrees. “The kids here need to see our alumni active and engaged,” Clark said. “Often times for our kids, a little bit of positive energy is all they need.” The efforts began when Reagan went to West to talk to its former principal, Joel Hudson, about holding an event there as part of his class See West, page 6
Demand swamps program for hearing aids
The Active Age There’s no shortage of local residents needing hearing aids. A Sedgwick County program that will provide hearing aids to people closed almost as soon as it opened last month after 63 applicants quickly accounted for all the available money. The program is being administered by the Independent Living Resource Center, a Wichita nonprofit. “That has seen a lot of demand,” said Annette Graham, director of the Department on Aging. “They (ILRC staff ) were already in a positive to have people contact them.” The program will provide up to $2,000 for each hearing aid. Although many hearing aids cost more than See Hearing, page 7
Butler County: (316) 775-0500 or 1-800-279-3655 Harvey County: (316) 284-6880 or 1-800-279-3655