It was just another game when suddenly, bam! Trenna Walls, the first female member of the Jenks Boys’ Football Team to play, gets tackled.

Kylan Wallis, 11, seems to be like any other student at Jenks High School. But, what many people might not know is his passion for cars and racing. Whether he is preparing the cars, doing a ride-along at the circuit, or videoing the vehicles in action, he can be found at the races.

When you drive by this small white house in the heart of downtown Jenks, you may assume it’s just an ordinary place. However, when you step inside, you truly see, “stuff dreams are made of.” The owner of Stuff Dreams Are Made Of, Linda Reynolds, describes her store as an open art studio, as well as a vintage, retro, and whimsy shop–all within walking distance of Jenks High School.

Football at Jenks is everything.

When Jenks students go to football games, what do we see? We see a bunch of sweaty, muscular boys tackle each other and try to get a win. We see boys with their jerseys tucked up, black paint all over their faces; we try to get them to glance at us from the sidelines. But we don’t see the hardships a high school football player goes through to win the games. We don’t see the physical toll the game takes on their bodies. When a high school football player is injured, it can be scary. How do Injured players feel when their future is left on the field?

When you take a look at the Oklahoma Aquarium, you never typically think about what goes on behind the scenes. It’s a place you grew up going to on field trips and as a cold shelter on hot, summer days. For two employees, Hallie Moss and Andrea Gann, their whole world revolves behind the scenes of the well-known attraction.

As a growing generation that’s engaged in our various communities, something students may not know is that anyone has the right to speak at school board meetings. School board meetings are open to the public. Although it may not be widely advertised, if you check out the Jenks Public School Board of Education page, you’ll find information on your personal school board member, upcoming meeting dates/times, how to make a public comment or hearing of the public, and meeting minutes from the past year.

For those looking for a guide to speaking at a Jenks Public School Board meeting, this is just the article for you. I have divided this article into sections: School Board 101, Making a Public Comment vs a Public Hearing, Common Misunderstandings, How Student Voices Make an Impact, Tips for Speaking, Post Speaking, Building Relationships, and Advocacy, and “What’s Next.”