Tallgrass Feb_Apr

TALLGRASS
February - April 2016 I Volume 4
3
The latest interactive
exhibition, How People
Make Things!
5
Education has a variety of
great events planned for
Spring 2016!
Find out why FHDC is the best
7 venue for your special event!
Over 200 people came out to kick off 2016 at the Flint Hills
Discovery Center’s Family New Year’s Eve, Under the Sea party!
www.flinthillsdiscovery.org 315 S. Third Street Manhattan, KS 66502 785.587.2726

Direction
Celebrating accomplishments
T
he winter
weather is
here! It may
appear that there
is not as much
activity in the
winter compared
to the warmer
months of the year;
however, the Flint
Hills, though seemingly dormant, will soon
go through the annual, much anticipated
process of renewal and rebirth. The earth
tones of winter will be replaced by diverse
shades of color on a field of brilliant green
that means so much to us.
Speaking of change, we look forward to
launching a new FHDC website that will be
much easier for guests to navigate. A huge
thank you goes out to Civic Plus for helping
refine and develop our new virtual
presence. We are excited to continue to
serve our members and the new audiences
that we will connect with the website’s
launch.
Virtual activity at FHDC is combined
with real world activity within the Center
and beyond. We will host prairie chicken
booming experiences this spring as one of
the best first-hand and up-close wildlife
experiences for our guests as we celebrate
the unique mating and dancing activity of
this species. Participants are encouraged to
register as soon as possible!
Don’t miss classes and workshops
ranging from a Meet the Makers series to
glass making, as part of the How People
Make Things exhibition. This summer we
host Amazing Dinosaurs! which will be a
favorite and has generated strong interest
already. Visit our website to enroll and
use your member benefits for all activities
offered by our staff and volunteers. All of us
at the FHDC are thankful for the continued
support you provide us financially and in
sharing the Flint Hills.
Fred W. Goss, Director
Partnerships & Sponsorships
Thank you!
• Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
• Family Communications, Inc.
• FHDC Foundation
• Manhattan Convention &
Visitors Bureau
• National Science Foundation
• Orazem and Scalora Engineering of
Manhattan
• Steel & Pipe Supply
• The Grable Foundation
• University of Pittsburgh Center for
Learning in Out-of-School Environments
Flint Hills Discovery Center
315 South Third Street
Manhattan, KS 66502
785.587.2726
Hours of Operation:
Open 363 days a year!
Membership Information:
membership.fhdc@cityofmhk.com
flinthillsdiscovery.org
Memorial Day - Labor Day
Mon. - Wed.: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Thurs.: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Fri. & Sat.: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sun.: 12 - 6 p.m.
Labor Day - Memorial Day
Mon. - Wed.: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Thurs.: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Fri. & Sat.: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sun.: 12 - 5 p.m.
About:
Tallgrass is produced by the
Flint Hills Discovery Center
and is published quarterly.
The Flint Hills Discovery Center
is a division of the City of
Manhattan’s Parks & Recreation
Department.
Our Mission:
The Flint Hills Discovery Center
inspires people to celebrate,
explore and care for the Flint Hills.
On the Cover:
New Year’s Eve, Under
the Sea party at FHDC.
2 www.flinthillsdiscovery.org February - April 2016

Exhibitions & Programs
How People Make Things, on exhibition January 30 - May 1, 2016
Every object in our world has a story
of how it is made. How People Make
Things, the latest exhibit at the Flint
Hills Discovery Center, tells that story by
linking familiar objects to a process of
manufacturing that combines people,
ideas and technology.
“We are pleased to have a highly
interactive and STEM based exhibition at
the Flint Hills Discovery Center which lets us
and our guests view the Flint Hills in a new
light,” said Fred Goss, Director of Flint Hills
Discovery Center.
How People Make Things, inspired by the
factory tour segments from the Mister
Rogers’ Neighborhood television series,
offers hands-on activities using real factory
tools and machines to create objects with
four manufacturing processes, molding,
cutting, deforming and assembly.
“How People Make Things provides us
with the opportunity to better understand
the people and processes that take raw
materials to finished products for items we
use in our daily lives,” said Goss.
Visitors can use a die cutter to make a
box and a horse, operate a three-axis mill
to carve a block of wax, assemble parts of a
real golf cart and race a robotic arm to see
who assembles a replica of the signature
trolley from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood
faster.
This exhibition was created by Children’s
New Website
FHDC welcomes a new look for their website
Museum of Pittsburgh in collaboration
with Family Communications, Inc. (FCI), the
producer of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,
and the University of Pittsburgh Center for
Learning in Out-of-School Environments
(UPCLOSE). The exhibit was made possible
with support from the National Science
Foundation and The Grable Foundation.
The exhibition is locally sponsored by
several community partners including
the Flint Hills Discovery Center Foundation,
Steel and Pipe Supply, the Manhattan
Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and
Orazem and Scalora Engineering of
Manhattan.
Members enjoy How People Make Things at the member preview event on
Friday, January 29. 5:30-7 p.m.
Flint Hills Discovery Center has been
working with Civic Plus since the
beginning fall months for a new
website which will be interactive and user
friendly.
“The new website will provide an easier
way for visitors to navigate through the site,”
said Megan Berry, Marketing Coordinator.
With the new website comes a new
template, new features, forms and graphics
that were not available before.
Please visit www.flinthillsdiscovery.org
to check out the new design!
A view of the homepage of the new
website, www.flinthillsdiscovery.org
February - April 2016 www.flinthillsdiscovery.org 3

Membership
FHDC members attend the preview of How People Make Things
Flint Hills Discovery Center members
attended the members’ preview for
How People Make Things on Friday,
January 29 from 5:30 - 7 p.m. Members
enjoyed refreshments, the two interactive
exhibitions and much more.
Members receive benefits including
10 percent off all Gift Store merchandise,
sneak peeks at exhibitions and much more.
If someone you know is interested in
becoming a member at the Flint Hills
Discovery Center, please call 785.587.2726
or visit www.flinthillsdiscovery.org.
Welcome New Friends
of the Flint Hills
Discovery Center
members!
FRIENDS
Bluestem Members:
• Ben & Kim Dabrowski family
• Scott & Lisa Harmon family
• Farren & Shelly Constable family
• Nicholas & Heidi Brazis family
• Dustin & Jessica Comp family
Blue Earth Members:
• Julia Fabris & Bill McBride family
• Pricilla Wilson
Members enjoy hands-on stations during the member preview event.
Shopping
Gift Store features jewelry by local artisan, Gayle Dowell
The Flint Hills Discovery Center
store is proud to carry the
handcrafted jewelry from four
Kansas artisans, one of which includes
Gayle Dowell. Dowell brings her vision
of inspiration of the beauty of Kansas
through her unique hand-made jewelry.
Dowell lives near Manhattan, Kansas
and has been making prairie inspired
metal jewelry for years.
“I hike the Kansas prairie and my own
16 acres often looking for botanicals to
use in my jewelry designs,” said
Dowell. “The Kansas prairie holds so
much beauty and diversity. There is a
limitless supply of inspiration. Every
day is a new day and as the seasons
change so does the plant life. Creating
my prairie grass pieces makes me feel as
though I’m capturing a fleeting moment
in nature and offering it a piece of
eternity.”
Gayle Dowell, a Kansas artisan, has a variety of handcrafted jewelry available in the Gift Store.
4 www.flinthillsdiscovery.org February - April 2016

Volunteering
Volunteers help out at Breakfast with Santa events and New Year’s Eve
As most know, volunteers are a vital
part in making sure programs and
events are a success. At the Flint
Hills Discovery Center, events can range
from assisting at Breakfast with Santa to
interacting with children during a
preschool class.
“It has been a pleasure getting to know
and work with volunteers during my
first few months onboard,” said Brieanna
Schmitz, Guest Services Manager.
A huge thank you to FHDC volunteers
for volunteering at both Breakfast with
Santa events, New Year’s Eve party and
numerous Adventure Camps.
Going into 2016, it will be a new year
filled with new opportunities for
volunteers to become more involved.
“I am looking forward to continue
getting to know volunteers and the
community,” said Schmitz.
Have suggestions for the volunteer
program? Email Brieanna Schmitz
New Faces
Welcome Brieanna Schmitz,
Guest Services Manager
and Volunteer Coordinator
as the newest member of the Flint Hills
Discovery Center staff.
Schmitz is responsible for coordinating
volunteers and overseeing guest services
operations.
“I’ve enjoyed meeting and getting to
know all of our fabulous volunteers and
staff members over the last couple of
months,” said Schmitz. “Everyone has
been very welcoming and I’m excited
to be part of the FHDC team.”
Schmitz most recently served as
the Executive Assistant at the Western
Railway Museum in Suisun City, California
where she hired, trained, scheduled and
supervised volunteers and paid staff.
Schmitz will play a key role in
enhancing the volunteer program at the
Flint Hills Discovery Center.
“In the upcoming year, I’m looking
at schmitz@cityofmhk.com or call
785.587.2726.
If you or someone you know is
interested in volunteering, please visit
our website www.flinthillsdiscovery.org/
volunteer to sign up today.
“I’m excited to expand the volunteer
activities at the FHDC,” said Schmitz.
“Stay tuned for what that will look like!”
Volunteers assist at the two Breakfast with Santa events on December 5 and 12.
Brieanna joins the Flint Hills Discovery Center as Guest Services Manager/Volunteer Coordinator
forward to expanding our volunteer core
and developing new partnerships with
community organizations,” said Schmitz.
“I’m also looking forward to creating some
new volunteer projects and planning this
year’s volunteer appreciation.”
Brieanna Schmitz interacts with volunteer Michael Warden at Welcome Reception
on Thursday, January 14.
February - April 2016 www.flinthillsdiscovery.org 5

Education
Successful programming in the fall with more to come in the spring!
The Flint Hills Discovery Center
education team has provided
programs to our community
this fall and winter. Many recent adult
programs complimented the Flint
Hills Masters exhibition and provided
opportunities to participate in unique
art themed activities. These included a
popular lunch and lecture with Matthew
Richter and Jay Nelson in which
Richter presented a live demonstration
of his painting process in September.
The afternoon also included a native
prairie walk to explore and draw
inspiration from the tallgrass
landscape.
Our Plein Air workshop
with John Hulsey held at Konza Prairie
also interpreted the Flint Hills through
art. The weekend resulted in several
fine paintings produced by program
participants with Hulsey’s expert
guidance.
In addition to our fall season, it has
been an active winter season for
education programs at the Flint Hills
Discovery Center. In December, we
debuted several family holiday events
such as Breakfast with Santa. Families
made gingerbread houses and visited
with Santa throughout the morning.
Additionally, the Family New Year’s Eve
Under the Sea Party featured costumes,
music, hands-on activities and a balloon
drop. The family-friendly events were
well attended and are already on the
calendar for 2016!
During days in which local school
districts are out of session, area youth
enjoyed a variety of opportunities to
From left to right:
Flint Hills Masters artist, John Hulsey and participant at a Plein Air workshop in October.
Children gather to check out the swimming shark at the Family New Year’s Eve party.
Connecting with the Flint Hills
have fun and learn at the same time by
attending Adventure Camps. Recently,
day campers created “recycled art”
and “animal art” to use during activities
throughout the day and to take home.
During your next visit to the facility,
look for onsite floor programs
associated with the How People Make
Things exhibition. There will be
interesting interactives for all ages!
Go See It lectures, glassmaking workshops and booming experiences for all ages
Despite the wintery weather, the
Flint Hills Discovery Center is
already looking forward to all the
ways to connect you with the amazing
natural and cultural resources in your
own backyard.
After the success of our greater
prairie-chicken booming experiences last
spring, we have expanded the program to
offer additional opportunities to see this
wonder of the animal kingdom. Watch
the magnificent display of color and
sound as greater prairie-chickens dance
for dominance before your very eyes.
Flint Hills Discovery Center staff will lead
you to the booming ground and provide
all the insight you need. Space is limited
so early registration is highly
recommended.
Kids can connect to their creative side
at two exciting glassmaking workshops on
February 27 and March 5. Professor
Donna Fullmer from K-State will teach
youth how to make their own glass
artwork. Best part: no experience
necessary and you get to keep the glass
art you make!
Our Go See It! lectures continue to
bring the Flint Hills to you every single
month. We have an exciting lineup
starting with the Flint Hills Renewable
Energy & Efficiency Cooperative on
February 18. They’ll speak about the
solar energy potential here in the Flint
Hills. Then see woodturning in action
from the Flint Hills Woodturners on
March 17.
We’re pleased to welcome back
landscape architect Scott Bingham to the
Discovery Center on Friday, April 22 for a
special extended Go See It! lecture. Scott
led the design of the green roof located
on our third floor terrace and will lead a
panel discussion about this unique part of
the building.
6 www.flinthillsdiscovery.org February - April 2016

FHDC Foundation
Announcing 2016 Friend of the Flint Hills Recipient
The 2016 Friend of the Flint Hills
Recipient is former Kansas U.S.
Senator Nancy Kassebaum Baker.
The Flint Hills Discovery Center
Foundation has given a “Friend of
the Flint Hills” award to an individual(s),
nongovernmental organization or public
institution each spring since 2012.
The award honors significant time,
effort and resources devoted to the cause
Former Kansas U.S. Senator Nancy
Kassebaum (Baker) will accept her award
on April 16, 2016. Photo by Evert Nelson
Event Rentals
There are many questions when
it comes to reserving a space
for a special event. Our Event
Sales Coordinator, Jonathan Mertz
has the answers.
Does the Flint Hills Discovery Center
host event rentals?
Yes! We hold nearly 200 rentals every
year. We host events of all sizes and
types from small birthday parties and
meetings to large business receptions
and weddings.
of conserving the Flint Hills of Kansas and
northern Oklahoma and to the Flint Hills
Discovery Center.
“Nancy was chosen for her exemplary
leadership role and commitment to the
Flint Hills as an elected official,” said
Bruce Snead, President of the Flint Hills
Discovery Center Foundation.
Kassebaum’s love of Kansas and
the Flint Hills region was exemplified
by her efforts along with that of others in
the establishment of the Tallgrass Prairie
National Preserve, located in the Flint Hills
region, just north of Strong City, in 1996.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of
the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve and
the 100th anniversary of the U.S. National
Park Service.
The significance of the 20 year
anniversary is the fact that a public
and private entity came together and
formed a partnership dedicated to
preserving a portion of the last remaining
stand of tallgrass prairie in North America.
The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is
the only one of its kind in the National
Park Service system.
Kassebaum served three terms
representing the state of Kansas in the
U.S. Senate from 1979-1997. She returned
to her permanent home in the Flint Hills
in 2014 following the death of her
husband, Howard Baker.
Book your special event at Manhattan’s most unique venue!
What spaces are available?
During the day, we have several meeting
rooms and a classroom that
are perfect for meetings, trainings,
birthday parties, showers and other
special events. The rooftop terrace
is very popular for outdoor receptions
and wedding ceremonies. After hours,
the permanent exhibit space is available
for larger events and celebrations.
Do we have to use a certain caterer?
We have a large list of approved caterers.
Smaller events may self cater.
In Memorium
The Flint Hills Discovery Center
Foundation Board and donors were
deeply saddened with the passing of
Bob Krause in December.
In 2015, Krause and wife, Marty
Vanier, gave a gift that was a milestone
in the history of the Center and the
Foundation.
Their vision for the gift recognized
the role of the city in creating the
exhibits, the need to sustain the newly
named Horizon Ranch Immersive
Experience Theater and to support
the Foundation in its efforts to build
on their generous example.
The Flint Hills Discovery Center and
Foundation will be forever grateful to
Bob and Marty for their leadership,
and we will miss Bob’s inspirational
commitment, energy and ideas as we
continue efforts to build on his and
Marty’s legacy.
How much does a rental cost?
This depends on the rental.
Our rentals include the tables and
chairs. We also supply AV equipment
at no additional cost.
When should I reserve space
for my event?
The sooner you book, the better,
especially for popular weekends and dates
like graduation parties or spring time
weddings. We have many events already
scheduled for 2016 and a few for 2017!
February - April 2016 www.flinthillsdiscovery.org 7

315 South Third Street Manhattan, KS 66502 | 785.587.2726 | www.flinthillsdiscovery.org
Re-enroll for Dillons Community Rewards
Re-enrollment is required each year! Thank you.
Five simple steps!
• Visit www.dillons.com/communityrewards
• Sign in or create an account
• Click on “Enroll Now”
• Enter the 5-digit NOP, 45288, and search
• Select the Flint Hills Discovery Center
Foundation and click on “Enroll”
Program does NOT affect fuel or reward points!
Calendar of Events
Sunday, February 14
Kid’s Night, Valentine’s Day
5:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Flint Hills Discovery Center
Thursday, February 18
Go See It! Today’s Reality
of Solar Electricity
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Flint Hills Discovery Center
Saturday, February 27
Glassmaking for Kids
two sessions offered
10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
& 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Flint Hills Discovery Center
Thursday, March 3
Educator Open House
4 - 6 p.m.
Flint Hills Discovery Center
Saturday, March 5
Glassmaking Three Ways
10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Flint Hills Discovery Center
Thursday, March 17
Go See It! Turning a Wood Bowl
From Tree to Table
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Flint Hills Discovery Center
Saturday, March 26
Prairie Chicken Booming
5 - 9:30 a.m.
Meet at the Flint Hills
Discovery Center
Saturday, April 2
Prairie Chicken Booming
5 - 9:30 a.m.
Meet at the Flint Hills
Discovery Center
Saturday, April 9
Prairie Chicken Booming
5 - 9:30 a.m.
Meet at the Flint Hills
Discovery Center
Friday, April 22
Go See It! Making
a Sustainable Landscape
6:30 - 8 p.m.
Flint Hills Discovery Center
8 www.flinthillsdiscovery.org February - April 2016