April 20, 2026
Story by Joe Vinduska
Barton Community College will host the 2026 Prairie Ink Journal Launch Party with a social starting at 6 p.m. and the evening’s program from 6:30-7:30 p.m. April 23 in the Cavanaugh Room of the Library.
The event celebrates the release of the latest edition of Prairie Ink, which features creative work from students, alumni, and members of the Barton community. Attendees can enjoy light refreshments, listen to readings from featured writers, and engage in conversation centered on the arts and literary expression.
This year’s event will feature keynote speaker Kansan Kale Link, who studies paleontology at Fort Hays State University and works at the Sternberg Museum. Link began writing stories at a young age, and he started his first novel in seventh grade. His debut novel, "Gone to the Great Dying," has reached readers across the country and internationally, and copies are available in bookstores and museums. Link continues his studies and participates in internships that take him to field research sites around the country.
The event is free and open to the public, and those unable to attend in person may join via Zoom at https://bartonccc-edu.zoom.us/j/2440236758.
For more information, contact Prairie Ink at PrairieInk@bartonccc.edu