Happy Kansas Day fellow Kansans! I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love Kansas. I love the wheat fields, KU basketball and cottonwood trees. Today the Sunflower State turns 153 years old.
I am thankful that I was born and raised in this glorious state. When I was in middle school I memorized the state bird, reptile, flower, etc., because I am proud of where I come from. Contrary to popular belief, Kansas is definitely not a flyover state and it is so not flat. Flint Hills anyone? Kansas gets a bad rap sometimes.
This square-ish state has produced some amazing things. It’s the home of musicians Martina McBride and Janelle Monae and actors Paul Rudd and Jason Sudekis. It is filled with gorgeous prairie land. It has exceptional colleges and universities and college teams (keep up the good work Shockers.) It has the largest community-rolled ball of twine. It has the largest hand dug well. One of the best presidents, in my opinion, Dwight D. Eisenhower, grew up here. It even has a yellow brick road.
Kansas is the heart of America. Farmers work day and night to provide the rest of the nation with food on their tables. Small communities still thrive and continue to attract the younger generation to settle within the community. Small business owners don’t give up on their dreams and fight to keep their businesses alive.
I hope that you, too, can appreciate the many things that Kansas has to offer.
I remember when I was younger I couldn’t wait to get the heck outta Dodge and move somewhere “fabulous,” like New York City. Today, you couldn’t pay me to move there. Kansas is what you make it and to me it’s fabulous. Although, I’m not a fan of the wonky weather.
Per aspera ad astra.
—Kayla Banzet
