Kansas Next Step to Hold Resume Tips/ Applications/ Reference Letter Seminar in Hays, Kansas on October 8, 2007   HAYS, Kan. (October 8, 2007) Kansas Next Step will be hosting a Resume Tips/ Applications/ Reference Letter Seminar on October 8, 2007 at 7:00 PM.  It will be held at the Fox Pavilion, 1202 Main Street, in Hays, Kansas. We would encourage teachers, parents, college and high school students to attend.  We will have three keynote speakers including: Dr. Brad Will, Deb Denning, and Joyce Mahoney.  At the end of the night the floor will be open to questions and answers for the speakers. Registration fees are $25.00 for the General Public, $15.00 for High School Faculty, and $10.00 for students. Financial aid is available upon request from Kansas Next Step. Registration forms are available at the new Bank of Hays. We will also accept registrations at the door the night of the event. This seminar is being sponsored by Bank of Hays, Troy D. Hallagin, DDS PA, Adams, Brown, Beran, and Ball Certified Public Accountants, Michael A. Hattan, OD, and Infinitec, Inc. Dr. Will, Assistant Professor, Director of Composition at FHSU, and Former Princeton Review Instructor, will be presenting on reference letters.  He will discuss what’s important and how to get the greatest benefits from the reference letters you request.  Deb Denning, Executive Director of Kansas Next Step, will be presenting on all three topics. “My mission is to help students obtain educational opportunities. Most times this involves winning scholarships.  I have fifteen years of research information to share which will help students learn how to make their resumes, applications, and reference letters “winning” quality. Our three daughters received national, state, local, and university awards totaling over $300,000!!!” Denning said. She is convinced hundreds of students in our regional area can accomplish remarkable goals regardless of ACT/SAT scores, financial need, or “connections” they may or may not have.             The final speaker will be Joyce Mahoney, mother of the Russell high school student who one over $50,000 in scholarships. Mahoney explained,” I have five children and have helped all of them with the application process to receive scholarships. Our youngest child received many scholarships including Toyota’s $20,000, Coca-Cola’s $10,000, Kentucky Fried Chicken’s $10,000, and Discover Card’s $10,000. The information I have gained helping her and my other children could help you know the questions to ask, the answers to give, and the presentation formats for winning applications.”             Courtney Schoendaler, Fort Hays State student and intern for Kansas Next Step stated, “I believe all of these speakers have great information to give to students like us. The students who have been working really hard in school by being involved and getting good grades but when we apply for scholarships it doesn’t seem like enough. We all need to learn the correct formats and power words to use so we have a greater chance of being chosen to win the scholarships we deserve.”             Kansas Next Step is a nonprofit organization formed in October of 2003 to help students obtain unique and quality opportunities. A main goal is to connect these students with people who have the experience and knowledge to guide them toward the success and goals they desire.  For more information about Kansas Next Step, contact Deb Denning at (785) 432- STEP (7837). -###-         Kansas Next Step’s First Seismic/ Seismic Interpretation/ New Technology Seminar Huge Success HAYS, Kan. (August 8 & 9, 2007) Kansas Next Step hosted their first Seismic/ Seismic Interpretation/ New Technology Seminar on August 8 & 9 at the Fox Pavilion in Hays, Kansas.  The seminar was held to raise funds for the non-profit organization.  Brochures containing registration information were sent out all over the United States.  Registrants attended from nine different states and speakers came from as far away as Canada.  Full meals were included in the registration fee and there was a social hour at the end of the first day. The seminar provided continuing education for all geologist and geophysicists in attendance. "I'm extremely pleased with the outcome of this seminar. Our speakers came from Canada, Illinois, Texas, Colorado and Kansas. We had registrations from nine states including NH, IL, TX, OK, KS, NE, MO, CO and CA. Since this was our first seminar of this size we strongly encouraged everyone to fill out an evaluation form. We are thrilled with the results - 96% said they would return for another seminar next year - the others said "maybe." We had several geophysicist students from Wichita State University and one from Fort Hays State University. In all, I think there were 6 students registered. We also had 30 requests for continuing education certificates from geologists and geophysicists. Since Kansas Next Step is a non-profit, educational organization, that is very important to us and our mission. This seminar was also a terrific fund-raiser to help support our high school summer camp and university level internship programs," said Deb Denning, Executive Director. The seminar’s first day included Russell Opfer and Lisa D’Ambrosia (Lockhart Geophysical) presentation on Seismic 101 followed by Ed Chow and Kerry Befus (Seisware) who spoke on seismic interoperation software. The second day began again with Opefer and D’Ambrosia speaking on GravStat they were followed by five other speakers. They were Kent Perry (Gas Technology Institute) presenting on Microhole Coiled Tubing Drilling- A Low Cost Reservoir Access Technology, Dr. Susan Nissen (geophysical consultant) speaking about Using 3-D Seismic Attributes in Reservoir Characterization, Jason Robinson (PGS Multi-Transient EM) presenting on The Multi Transient Electromagnetic method for E&P: The remote sensing technology to detect hydrocarbon presence and dimensions in the subsurface, Bill Miller (Miller Consulting Services) speaking on Exploring in Kansas with Small Prospect Specific 3-D Surveys, and ended with Jerry Green (Well Enhancement Services) sharing his knowledge on A Cost Effective Way to Increase and Enhance Existing Well Production.             All who attended were very pleased with the seminar saying, “Excellent Seminar!", "Thanks to KNS for the great seminar!", and "Very interesting speakers and a great venue. I hope I can come back next year!"             Pat Gerstner from Joe Gerstner Oil, in Ness City, stated, “I wouldn't change a thing! Very Good!"             "Well done! Interesting speakers, good talks - highly educational," added Peter Clute from Clute Oil Corporation.             Even the speakers learned from each other.  "Make sure you get Dr. Susan Nissen back again - Brilliant presentation," said Robinson             After the success of this year’s seminar, Kansas Next Step has decided to hold another event next year around the same time.  New speakers will be brought in but a few from this year will return to bring their information up to date.  “We are hoping to have 200 registrants next year which would fill the Fox Pavilion.  Continuing education will be offered again.  We are open to all suggestions for next year,” added Denning.               Kansas Next Step is a nonprofit organization formed in October of 2003 to help students obtain unique and quality opportunities. A main goal is to connect these students with people who have the experience and knowledge to guide them toward the success and goals they desire.  For more information about Kansas Next Step, contact Deb Denning at (785) 432- STEP (7837) or visit www.kansasnextstep.org.     Hays High Students Receive Funding from Kansas Next Step to Attend the Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference in New York City HAYS, Kan. (May 21, 2007) Kansas Next Step provided funding for six Hays High School students to attend the Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference in New York City, New York. These students arrived on May 9 and stayed in New York City for a week to compete at the conference. The students won the opportunity to compete in New York City after placing in the state competition held in Wichita, Kansas February 15-17.   These six students are: Kiley Johansen, Tarica Nehls, Allison Groff, Brad Schippers, Layne Krizek, and Ross Karlin.  They were sponsored by Corina Beam, Technology instructor at Hays High.  Throughout their trip the students were able to meet people from all 50 states as well as hear keynote speaker Jason Dorsey and Illinois Senator, Barach Obama.  “We had the opportunity to interact with students from all around the country, which in turn taught us that there are business professionals in everyone, but at the same time everyone had their own way of showing it,” Tarica Nehls said. “This trip taught me so much about being a business professional, but more than that taught me responsibility, time management, independent travel experience, and living up to people’s expectations.”             “I believe that attending the BPA National Leaderships Conference will really affect our futures in the business world as well as giving us valuable leaderships skills,” Layne Krizek said.             The group of students also had time to do some site seeing while in New York City.  Ross Karlin describes the sites, “Our first night in New York City was spent walking through Times Square; we were also given the chance to take a bus tour of the city showing us the many different buildings and districts. These districts showed me how differently people could live within the same city.”             “In New York City, the culture shock was amazing; we saw many different types of clothing, language, and attitudes, which was a great learning experience for us from small-town Kansas,” added Kiley Johansen.             Allison Groff tells about her experience saying, “Almost everything we did was a new experience. Simple things like taking a cab, riding the subway, seeing a Broadway musical, and attending a Yankees game.”             Brad Schippers said, “The architecture there was pretty amazing, from the Statue of Liberty to the Empire Sate Building.”             Kansas Next Step provided $2899 for travel and lodging expenses for the students while they were competing.  Kansas Next Step is a nonprofit organization formed in October of 2003 to help students obtain unique and quality opportunities. A main goal is to connect these students with people who have the experience and knowledge to guide them toward the success and goals they desire.  For more information about Kansas Next Step, contact Deb Denning at (785) 432- STEP (7837).