TOPEKA HIGH HISTORICAL SOCIETY News from the Paul Fink Room THS Historical Society/Alumni Association, 800 SW Tenth Ave, Topeka, KS 66612 Website: thshistoricalsociety.org Phone: 785-295-3200 Email: [email protected] Vol. 39 No.2, June 2020 Trojans Making a Difference Much has been reported in “Keep Calm the news about the response and Empow- of individuals and compa- er On.” nies using 3D printing to Those are respond to the lack of PPE the guiding for healthcare workers and words for the first responders. Topeka YWCA Public Schools are among Northeast those who have been using Kansas as it technology resources to re- navigates the challenges of caring for the vul- spond to this need. nerable during a pandemic. A little over a year ago a 12 Leading the charge is a Topeka High School printer 3D printing lab was graduate: Kathleen Marker (1971, the purchased and installed at YWCA’s CEO. TCALC (Topeka Center for Advanced Learning and “Like a lot of non-profits in the greater Topeka Careers) as a part of the Engineering and Applied Math community, working in crisis mode is not new pathway. Students enrolled in that pathway come to to us; adapting our services to fit the changing TCALC from all TPS high schools and as a part of their needs of Topeka and Shawnee County is not courses they learn about 3D printing. They learn how new to us,” Marker said. “Being resourceful to download models from the internet, prepare those when we have limited resources or uncertain models for printing (slicing) and adjust and run the resources is our norm. That’s what keeping printers to create finished products. They also design calm and empowering on is.” models and teach other students at TCALC how to do Of particular concern during the COVID-19 3D printing. pandemic are ensuring continued assistance to As a response to the Covid-19 crisis, the TCALC print- victims of domestic violence, sexual assault ers were put into service and have, to date, printed over and human trafficking at a time when help is 100 masks that are earmarked for first responders in our needed even more than ever, and keeping the community. This project was funded by the Topeka childcare center open to serve children of es- Public Schools Foundation who purchased the 3D sential workers, Marker said. printing plastic filament, elastic and filters that are all Topeka police have reported an uptick in do- required to create a finished mask like the one shown mestic violence since the start of the pandemic below. due to sheltering in place, social distancing and job losses. Ms. Evelyn Eubank is the Engineering Pathway instruc- “At the root of violence in relationships is tor who initiated the project and power and control - the desire to establish and printed the masks with maintain power and control on the abuser's part the assistance of Topeka West over their environment,” Marker said. “When senior, Garrett Jones. Due to so- an abuser loses that control that exacerbates the cial distancing requirements, as- risk of violence. The financial stress alone cre- sembly of the masks was done at ates a ticking time bomb for some families the Eubank home with a great with a history of domestic violence. deal of help from a familiar Tope- “Being forced to shelter in place removes ka High face, Steve Eubank, re- (Continued on page 2) tired THS Choral Director who happens to be Evelyn's husband. 1 Topeka High School Historical Society June 2020 (Continued from page 1) gate in the best of times and the pandemic has ampli- many of the coping strategies that victims use to fied so many of these challenges. We are hearing avoid exposure to their abuser. We are especially con- from leaders and experts in the domestic violence are- cerned that survivors may be unable to reach out for na across the country that the fallout from the pan- help due to their abusive partner monitoring their be- demic will be with us for some time.” haviors while they are in isolation. Here in northeast As for serving children of essential workers, Marker Kansas, what we are seeing is that the clients who are said, “Our daycare center remains open and as always coming to us have experienced more severe abuse or we work to make sure the kids have routines and nor- trauma. We believe this is because they are waiting to malcy in their lives. We stress empathy for one anoth- leave their abuser, thinking they can ride things out.” er and model that behavior. We give kids the oppor- During the first week of sheltering in place, the tunity to share how they are feeling and help them YWCA saw a drop in the number of clients reaching with ways to express their emotions in a positive way. out for help. The children have taught us how to adapt.” “We feared they thought we were closed and not of- Marker said the YWCA has experienced a decline in fering services,” Marker said. “I reached out to the revenue due to the pandemic, so several anonymous Shawnee County District Attorney and our Board donors have stepped up to match up to $10,000 in do- member who is employed by Kansas Gas Service and nations that the public makes. More information on shared my concern. The Kansas Gas Foundation and donating is available at www.ywcaneks.org/donate. the Shawnee County District Attorney helped us pro- Marker hasn’t always worked in the nonprofit world duce a public service announcement that has been air- but has found that kind of work is her passion. She ing on all of the local television stations and other spent more than 20 years as a commercial banker in media. Our numbers steadily increased. With the sup- northeast Kansas before moving to France for 12 port of the Topeka Community Foundation, Topeka years where she managed international business de- Collegiate school, the United Way, and private do- velopment for a French biotech company and taught nors, we have been able to cover the increased costs graduate students courses related to managing diversi- in serving our clients.” ty. When statewide safe-at-home orders were issued, the “When I moved back to Kansas in 2013, I was inten- YWCA staff told clients who were living in the Y’s tional about working in the non-profit arena and I residence for domestic abuse survivors that they can’t imagine doing anything else,” she said. “This would need to shelter in place at the residence. The isn’t a job to me. This is an opportunity to be part of a YWCA began placing new clients in hotel rooms. movement shared by YWCAs across the country. I’m “What this has meant is that we have had to provide passionate about the mission and how we put that into more meals for the folks we are sheltering both in our action in northeast Kansas. I am so lucky to come to shelter and in hotel rooms,” Marker said. “We also work every day and be inspired by staff and volun- help clients prepare protection from abuse orders filed teers who are like-minded.” with the county. Our advocates keep in close contact *** with the clients we are sheltering and support them in Marker said she is proud Topeka High is her alma any way we can, including reaching out to community mater. partners that can offer support such as housing, “My husband and two of our daughters are also Tope- household items, and food.” ka High alumnae,” she said. “Our youngest daughter, The pandemic makes the stress of domestic violence Allison, always felt left out when we would reminisce worse. about fond memories of Topeka High and what a spe- “Being able to just leave and stay with family mem- cial place it is. Since she attended middle school, high bers or friends may not be an option when folks are school and college in France she missed out.” quarantining,” Marker said. “Having financial inde- But since school didn’t start in France until mid- pendence can be difficult for a person in an abusive September, one August while visiting Topeka Allison relationship when the abuser has control over financ- was treated to a trip to Topeka High by a family es. Finding a job to gain independence is difficult in friend who was then a THS student – Michelle Neis this environment and many times there are children to (2006) who is a current member of the Topeka High consider. How do you protect children from the vio- School Historical Society Board. lence in the home? “Allison got to see what a special place it is for her- “Domestic violence is complex and difficult to navi- self,” Marker said. 2 Topeka High School Historical Society June 2020 Memorial Rocks Julie Jacobsen Phillips (2001) has always been a nurturer and giver. She started working with kids when she was 15 and has been working with “at-risk” and traditionally underserved youth for 13 years. She worked at Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Clubs and Juvenile Intake. She spent 3 years at Tope- ka High doing case management and providing pro- gramming to help kids stay in school for Communities in Schools of Mid-America. Last year she became the grant writer for the program. She is a proud Topeka mom of two sons who is honoring people killed by The rocks all have a name and an age. The oldest age, gunfire by painting and placing rocks throughout the almost 70 years old, with about three rocks dedicated city.