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Viryriana Flores, senior art history major and Shaylee Giles, junior forensic biology major, pose for a photo during a Kansas Day event on campus. The event was held to celebrate Kansas statehood.
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Attendees receive sunflower-shaped cookies as dessert during the event. Everyone could decorate their own cookies in any design they choose.
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Taylor Redington (left), campus and community affairs director, and Tiana Smith (right), campus and community affairs committee chairperson, get involved in activities like Jenga at the event. The structure fell immediately after the block was pulled.
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Everyone celebrates Kansas Day and the state’s 165th birthday. Different games, foods and fun activities were offered at the event to involve students and bring the campus community together.
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Scratch-art cowboy boots and hats are displayed on a table as part of a creative activity celebrating Kansas Day. Thread was included in the craft so attendees could take their artwork home and hang it up.
On Jan. 29, Washburn Student Government Organization (WSGA) hosted the Kansas Day Kickoff at Union Underground at Washburn University from 6-8 p.m.
Kansas Day Kickoff is an event that marks the start of Kansas Day celebrations. It recognizes the date Kansas became the 34th state of the United States on Jan. 29, 1861.
“I think bringing awareness to how amazing our state is is always a good thing,” said Kate Coulter, president of WSGA. “I think it [the event] benefits our students by creating that awareness but also encouraging connection and creativity as there are crafts and food and things just to bring students together.”
Coulter mentioned that the event featured a variety of food options, games such as Jenga, scratch-offs, crafts and dessert painting activities such as sunflower pins.
“Local support is super important because that is kind of where the direct line comes in. It really can make things happen, also can bring in physical support and a hand to move things around,” said Taylor Redington, campus and community affairs director at WSGA. “We have some cookies shaped like sunflowers for folks to put on yellow frosting and some chocolate chips, because the Sunflower is the state flower of Kansas and the yellow frosting is to show yellow petals on a sunflower. And then the chocolate chips are that really seedy middle.”
Redington explained that planning food quantities would be difficult because the event took place in a small venue, making it hard to predict how much food would be used or how much would remain. The activity reminded her of decorating cookies when she was younger and noted that students still enjoy those activities even though they are no longer in elementary school.
“We kind of had a big brainstorming session about what the ideal vision was going to be for this event because we wanted it to be fun, also chill and laid back,” said Tiana Smith, campus and community affairs committee chairperson at WSGA. “The committee worked really well together over break, making sure that this was able to come together. It’s our favorite way to show pride about where we’re from and just something to get students involved on campus as they’re getting back to classes in the spring semester. A little birthday party for Kansas as it celebrates its 165th birthday.”
Smith discussed they would like to make the event larger in the future by using a bigger space and offering more activities for students.
The event concluded with games, food and opportunities for students to gather and learn about Kansas Day and how it is celebrated.
Next event, Kansas History is scheduled for Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. in the Kansas room where Matt Beat, a Kansas-based YouTuber and former history teacher, would speak on Kansas history and policy. Redington explained the talk would focus on presidential history connected to Kansas.
Edited by Bidhya Sapkota and Stuti Khadka
