December News

Community Partnering in Kansas 

On November 3^rd, Ogallala Commons conducted a Community Partnering Meeting at the Community Building in Leoti, Kansas.  Community leaders, agency personnel, growers from the area interested direct marketing, and a group of high school students from Campo, Colorado comprised the group of 35 who participated in the gathering.  The morning session focused on OC’s Community Internship Program and youth engagement strategies in general.  After lunch, the topic shifted to the future of agriculture, especially the opportunities for new producers for the High Plains Food Cooperative in western Kansas and eastern Colorado. 

 Chris Sramek, OC Board President and Mark Nightengale of Heartland Mills, Inc. present at Leoti Meeting.

Playa Field Day        
Ogallala Commons held a Playa Field Day at the OC Playa Classroom in Nazareth, TX on November 19th.  It was a brisk morning, but landowners, Master Naturalists, university students, and kids clearly enjoyed seeing live amphibians and reptiles that depend on playa habitat, as well learning about migrating waterfowl and shorebirds.  Another big hit was a presentation by science teacher Laura Wilbanks and four of her 5th Grade students from Whiteface, TX.  The students demonstrated how to make a soft cheese using Silver-leaf nightshade berries as a rennant, and how to make jelly from the tunas of a cactus plant.  In all, 35 people attended the Field Day, which concluded with a field trip to see geese and ducks at ponds in Hart, TX.

Robert Martin of TNC, gave a presentation about amphibians and reptiles.

Youth Entrepreneur Fair in Plainview is a Success 

The fifth annual Ogallala Commons Regional Youth Entrepreneur Fair was held at Plainview Civic Center on Tuesday, November 15th with students from Plainview, Tulia, Dimmitt, Booker and Nazareth competing for cash prizes totaling nearly $5,000.

The event was a collaboration between Ogallala Commons and several partners, including: Plainview Entrepreneur Guide Alliance (PEGA), South Plains College, Wayland Baptist University's Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) team, Plainview ISD, Plainview Chamber of Commerce and Texas AgriLife Extension-Hale County helped with make the fair possible for local and area students.

Winners of the E-Fair were:

1st Place     Kristin True

 ($1000)      Chance Rollins

2nd Place    Kierra Proctor & Shayla Perry

  ($750)       Brandon Hart & Devin Gunstream

3rd Place     Brian Acker

($500)          Jordan Smoot

Consolation Prizes ($100 each) went to Alex Duarte & Miranda Montgomery and Sierra Dubrule

Read more about the event at:

http://myplainview.com/news/article_c389fdf8-1014-11e1-96d2-001cc4c03286.html 

http://www.ourpeoplenews.com/111611OP.pdf

A student tells a E-Fair judge about her business plan and display.

2011 Campo Youth Engagement Day: What’s Your Dream?
by Megan England
Campo High School was filled with the sounds of students being engaged in their future at the 2nd Annual Campo Youth Engagement Day on November 16th, 2011.
Hosted by the Campo Youth Advisory Council and sponsored by the non-profit community development organization Ogallala Commons, the event was attended by about seventy-five students from Campo, Pritchett, and Vilas schools.
This year’s fifteen presentations came from a variety of backgrounds and locations including multiple colleges (OPSU, OJC, LCC, and WTAMU), the Campo Emergency Services, the Southeast Colorado Hospital District,  the Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Campo Youth Advisory Council, the Southeast Colorado Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), Ogallala Commons, local teacher and FFA Advisor Bill Carwin, 4-H extension agent Deborah Lester, and local teacher/personal trainer Cherilyn England.
The purpose of a Youth Engagement Day is to encourage students in rural communities to think about returning home in the future; whether it’s after high school, after college, or further down the road. That goal was accomplished throughout the day as students were shown in multiple ways how making their dreams come true is possible—right in their own backyard. There were presentations on careers in healthcare, business, technology and agriculture, as well as presentations about college rodeo, digital “footprints” in today’s world, volunteerism, leadership, exercise, emergency services, vocational jobs and more.
All in all, the day was rated an overwhelming success, and the Youth Advisory Council would like to thank the wonderful team of presenters and behind-the-scenes workers who helped to put the event together.

The 2011-12 Campo Youth Advisory Council

Students "engage" in team-building activities during a breakout session.

November News

Partnering to Build Internships and Careers

By Darryl Birkenfeld, OC Director

Ogallala Commons and High Plains Food Cooperative are conducting a Community Partnering Meeting on Thursday, November 3, 2011 in Leoti, Kansas.  The meeting will focus on tools and information to assist partners in creating pathways to bring youth and adults back to our hometowns--through internships, new agricultural markets, and other job opportunities.”  Those attending will receive a newly-updated, detailed Community Internship booklet for Community Partners and Intern Supervisors. 

The morning session will focus on creating Community Internships, and cover topics such as how to build successful internships, how to finance them, how to build work plans, etc.  After lunch, the meeting will shift to a panel presentation on the future of agriculture.  Chris Sramek from Atwood, KS, will introduce the work of the High Plains Food Cooperative as one approach to creating new agricultural markets.  Sramek will also cover the creation of a new marketing route along Highway 96 that could connect area food producers to HPFC’s consumer members in the Denver Metro Region.  Contact Simone Cahoj, Director, Wichita Co. Economic Development for more information or to make a reservation for the meeting (620.375.2182)

5^th Annual Youth E-Fair Coming in November

Business ideas from over 60 high schools students will be on display at the 5^th Annual OC Regional Youth Entrepreneur Fair on November 15^th in Plainview, TX.  The Fair will be held on at the Plainview Civic Center, located at 2902 W 4th Street in Plainview, TX.  During the lunch hour from 12noon to 1:15pm the general public will be able to tour the booths that display both potential and already-operating businesses of youth entrepreneurs from Plainview, Tulia, Dimmitt, and Nazareth, TX. 

Entrepreneurs will be awarded points by a panel of three judges based on the following criteria: Business Plan, Interview with Judges, Booth Presentation at the Fair, Network of Support, and Financing Strategies.  Besides earning valuable experience in business planning, conducting interviews, and selling a business idea to the public, top finishers in the contest received cash prizes totaling nearly $5,000, and plenty of encouragement from people who attended the Fair.  Keynote speakers at the 11am session will be 12 students from Booker, TX who operate Kiowa Recycling, and who also receive dual credit in Environmental Science for their work.

Local Llano: A New Way to Learn About Local Food

Ogallala Commons is not one uniform region.  Rather, it is a commonwealth of many distinct regions and localities…each with unique soils, cultures, and cuisines.  Through its Rebuilding Local Food Systems Program, Ogallala Commons works to educate and increase use of fresh, locally-grown produce and foods…something that helps farmers and consumers in our communities. 

In October, Ogallala Commons worked with a group of Community Interns and volunteers to launch a new weekly blog called Local Llano, to offer information and education through stories and photos about locally-grown and prepared food in the Llano Estacado region.  OC Community Intern Briony Haechten handles the maintenance and updating of the blog, and each Wednesday, a new story about growing, purchasing, preparing, and celebrating local foods is posted.  Using the link below, you can check out our blog, and please be use and take a moment to “like” our Local Llano Facebook page!

http://localllano.wordpress.com/

Campo High School Continues to Encourage Students to be Dream-Followers

by Megan England, President, Campo Youth Advisory Council

On Wednesday, November 16^th, 2011, the students of the Campo Youth Advisory Council will host the 2^nd Annual Campo Youth Engagement Day.

This year’s event will be bigger and better than ever, with exciting break-out sessions led by presenters from various businesses, non-profit organizations, colleges, universities, and high schools. The youth are the future of rural communities such as those in Baca County, Colorado and by hosting this leadership, entrepreneurship, volunteerism, and career-building day, the Engagement Day planning team hopes to encourage these rural students to follow their dreams, dreams that hopefully include returning home to the Great Plains of Southeast Colorado.

September News

Fall Playa Festival Season is Underway!

A student reaches into a deep crack in the OC Playa.

This year, Ogallala Commons has a full schedule of Playa Festivals at schools in Texas and Eastern New Mexico.  During September and October we will be conducting fifteen Playa Festivals that will include twenty-four schools and over 1200 students, their teachers, parents and community members. 

Each Playa Festival includes presentations from scientists, naturalists and Ogallala Commons staff.  Our presentations include: What is A Playa?, How to Use a Nature Journal as a Resource in the Field, Playa Soils and Plants, Bird Identification, Prairie Raptors, Playa Amphibians and Reptiles, Rainwater Harvesting in Playas and At Home, and Playa Buffers and Waterfowl.  After students rotate through presentations, they take a field trip to an actual playa! We walk through a playa, write in our journals, make observations, collect cool things--seeing, touching, and exploring all of the things we have learned about during presentations.

Every Tuesday and Thursday for the next six weeks, we will be dawning our hiking boots, loading up our bird calls, bags of clay soil and assortments of field guides in order to help children across the Southern High Plains discover the treasures in our own backyards!  Wish us luck.

Playa Management Day on Sept. 14—a Welcome Sight!

The sun sets over a wet playa near Silverton, TX, a rare site in this dry year.

A group of 24 attended our OC Playa Management Day on September 14^th in Silverton, Texas.  Based on returned surveys, 14 landowners with playas attended the event, and our presentations potentially impacted over 80 playas totaling more than 900 acres.

After introductions and some superb presentations on playa hydrology, soils and general playa geomorphology, our group went on tour to see some of the only wet playas for hundreds of miles around (thanks to an 8-inch rain that fell one night in late June).  Our first stop was to a gigantic wet playa south of Silverton near the Briscoe-Floyd County line.  This site gave participants a chance to view typical playa plants: barnyard grass, pink smartweed, curly dock, and arrowhead.  On the way to a second stop just into Floyd County northwest of South Plains, the tour encountered large flocks of ducks and shorebirds on a wet playa along a county road. 

Our main stop was at the farm of Janet Minton (where no big rain fell), to view a recently-established playa buffer.  The buffer, planted in 2009, encircles a 65-acre playa and consists of native grasses as well as 4-wing saltbush and dryland alfalfa for wildlife food.  Adequate buffers are essential for preventing soil erosion from washing into a playa basin, and for offering wildlife habitat.

The workshop was sponsored by Ogallala Commons, in collaboration with its partners: the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, and Playa Lakes Joint Venture.  

Fifth Annual Youth Engagement Day - Plainview, Tx

The fifth annual Youth Engagement Day was conducted in Plainview, Tx on 09/13/11.  Growing Entrepreneurs Building Businesses is the focus of this event and it was time well-spent on tomorrow's community, state and country leaders.  I was impressed by with the city leaders and business owners who came together to make this year's event  successful.  The students were welcomed by Mayor John Anderson who was pleased to have us come and explore ideas and listen to the stories of local business owners. After our keynote address, the students were divided into 7 investigation teams that interviewed two local businesses after which they gave a 5 minute presentation to the whole group.   

A Plainview High School students shares what she learned during the business tour that was a part of the Youth Engagement Day held in Plainview on September 13, 2011.

My team visited the Crisis Center of the Plains where we learned that you need is a degree to be considered for a position; the training is provided for you.  Our next visit was to the Perry Buildings.  Dr. Collins introduced us to the idea that you can have a job and do other things ...idea...passive income!  This can be accomplished when you find a business partner with your goals but also with the talents that you are weak in.   Combining talents and strengths sounds like common sense but it is difficult to "trust"  that the other person is equally invested.  David Splawn spoke of how the Broadway Brewer came to be and why.  David and his wife knew there was a need for this business and were thinking of ways to have a sustained  income that would allow his wife to stay home with their young children.  The business now takes more time to run than anticipated but it is a successful business in Plainview. 

A group reports their findings after visiting several local businesses.

Students were challenged to develop a business plan to enter in the Youth Entrepreneur Fair in November.  The students were provided detailed instructions on how to develop a solid business plan and inspired by a usable roadmap called "e-DREAMS." (providing a means by way of directions)

This was time definitely well-spent with the youth of Plainview and Hart, Tx. 

Ogallala Commons Newsletter: August (Week 2)

“Be Willing”: Terri Hendrix Concert

(left-to right: Lloyd Maines and Terri Hendrix are joined by Logan Samford on stage at the Home Mercantile)

Despite the best efforts and intentions of our Community Interns, only Julie Hodges and Darryl Birkenfeld made it to the Terri Hendrix concert (along with Advisory Council member Andy Wilkinson), held at the Home Mercantile Building in Nazareth, TX on August 14th. However, Terri had looked over the Intern Blog pages in advance, and dedicated a song during her concert to the interns, our program, and to Miss Julie! The song is titled, "Be Willing" and it is recorded on her "Left Over Alls" album from 2009. A verse from the song is truly reflective of Community Internships: "Be willing/To travel far. The answers are/in the Great Beyond. Be willing to open your mind/to all you'll find/in the Great Unknown."

Another cool Intern-thing that happened at the concert was the affirmation that Terri and Lloyd gave to Logan Samford, an aspiring singer-songwriter from Nazareth, who opened the concert with three songs he penned. Though Logan is only a junior in high school, he in already interested in applying for a Community Internship in Summer 2012, that could help him explore and learn about a career as a locally-based musician.

Where Have all the Interns Gone? (Part 2)

This article is the second half of an article written by OC Intern Megan England, which gives the whereabouts of numerous OC Community Intern alumni.

Katie Hancock (’10) of Lubbock, TX graduated with her Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Communications in December, then began getting her teaching certification in Technology Applications and Agriculture. She is currently working on her Master's in Secondary Education and recently got hired to teach 8th Grade Exploring Careers at Brownfield Middle School (TX). She also plans to continue her photography business on the side of teaching.

Julie Hodges (’10) of Lubbock, Texas is the Owner/Heritage Planning and Environmental Education Consultant for Prairie Workshop, LLC and Education Coordinator for Ogallala Commons. She graduated in August of 2010 with my Master of Science in Heritage Management and her future plans are to continue working with Ogallala Commons and expand her business with her husband, Jason.

Keshian Hoeffner (’10) is a senior in high school at Campo, Colorado and a Certified Nursing Assistant. She will graduate in May of 2012.

Erin Hoelting (’08) left for Peace Corps in July 2009, and is currently wrapping up a two-year stint with an aquaculture project with small farmers in Zambia. She will be returning to Lubbock, TX in October to wrap up and defend her Master's thesis at Texas Tech University by semester’s end.

Shancee Howell (’10, ’11) of Tribune, Kansas graduated from college in May of 2010, and is currently working on her Masters in Agricultural Business at New Mexico State University (Las Cruces, NM).

Kendra Huseman (’10) graduated from high school (Nazareth, TX) and is enrolling at Texas A&M University (College Station, TX).

Catherine Jenkinson (’11) of Sharen Springs, Kansas is a high school senior and will graduate in May of 2012. She then plans attend university to major in some sort of liberal arts.

Tabitha King (’10) recently received a job at Dell as an Epic Healthcare Systems Consultant in the Dallas area.

Weston Nieman ('11) is living in Lubbock, TX after graduating with an MBA from Texas Tech University. He is currently exploring job options and looking for a career in sustainable construction and building.

Scarlett Olsen (’10) of Burdett, Kansas is a senior in high school and will graduate in May of 2012, after which she plans to attend college.

Paige Ownbey (’09) of Campo, Colorado is recently married, is a volunteer firefighter, and currently provides day care services at her alma mater, Campo School, where she is also the assistant high school volleyball coach.

DeLesa Perez (’09, ’10, ’11) of Hart, Texas is currently working on a degree in Advertising and Public Relations at West Texas A&M University (Canyon, TX). She will graduate in 2013, and then plans to move to a city and run a public relations business.

Daniel Ramos (’10) recently graduated from high school (Dimmitt, TX) and has enlisted with the United States Army.

Sarah Reeves (’11) of Munday, Texas, is working on getting a degree in elementary education/pharmacy technician at Midwestern State University (Wichita Falls, TX). She plans to graduate in December of 2012, and if she doesn’t get a job in the spring, she plans to become certified as a pharmacy technician.

Katy Reynolds (’11) of Tribune, Kansas is majoring in Mass Communications at Northwestern Oklahoma State University (Alva, OK) and has a minor in English. She will graduate in December 2011 with her bachelor’s, then plans to complete her Master’s degree and find a job in the Tribune, Kansas area.

Tess Robben (’09) is currently attending school at Fort Hays State University (Hays, Kansas).

Valeria Rodriguez (’09) is majoring in Biochemistry at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. After graduation, she plans to attend medical school at Texas Tech University.

Alexis Schwarz (’10) is currently attending college at the University of Nebraska (Lincoln, Nebraska), and majoring in Advertising.

Kevin Von Feldt (’10) of Larned, Kansas is a senior in high school. He plans to graduate in 2012 and attend Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas.

Kerra Wait (’11) is a high school senior in Pritchett, Colorado. She plans to graduate in 2012 and attend college to study sports medicine, chiropractic medicine, and business. She plans to open her own business after graduating from college.

Kaili Wait (’09) is majoring in Crop Science at Otero Junior College (La Junta, Colorado). In the future, she plans to start a family and work for the Natural Resource Conservation Service.

Clay Wimmer (’10) is presently a high school senior in Abernathy, Texas. He is involved with Future Farmers of America and is working on a ranch. He is interested in soil and water conservation and plans to graduate in May 2012.

Sara Wheeler (’10) is currently beginning her sophomore year studying biology and chemistry at Oklahoma Panhandle State University (Goodwell, OK).

Cara Young (’11) and her husband, Justin, are taking on full-time jobs at High Plains Food Bank and Community Gardens in Amarillo, Texas upon the completion of her internship.

Intern Profile: Delissa Villa Hello everyone,
My name is Delissa Villa. I am from Tulia, TX and attend St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. I am an international business and marketing major and will be graduating in May of 2012. This will be my third summer interning through Ogallala Commons. I am very grateful for the opportunity I’ve had in working with OC...I’ve learned a lot and have grown to value my rural community.

This summer I carried out a one-month marketing internship. I interviewed different business owners in Plainview, Texas, learned about the marketing department at Soil Mender Products, LP, in Tulia, TX, and worked with Casa del Llano, a small nonprofit organization in Hereford, Texas.

The entrepreneurs that I interviewed have been very successful in their businesses and here are some key lessons I learned were: what inspired them to start the business, marketing techniques, and how they are successful in rural communities. These interviews provided valuable information that I will use in the future when I open up my own business. I would like my business to focus on “health education”. With the growing rates of obesity in the United States, there is a need to educate. In my community, I believe there is a particular need in educating Hispanic women. My ideal business would incorporate healthy cooking classes, fitness classes, and health education classes.

Intern Profile: Weston Neiman
My name is Weston Neiman and I grew up in Junction, Texas. I went to college at New Mexico State University where I earned a Bachelors of Business Administration and played football. After NMSU, I decided to further my education by attending Texas Tech, and graduated with my MBA last December. I am now trying to make the transition into a meaningful career, and in doing so, I was referred to an Ogallala Commons Internship by my sister. The weekend I graduated, all of my family was up in Lubbock. After my graduation, I went snowboarding in Colorado and somehow my parents set up a tour with Darryl. The first couple of months after my graduation, I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, and decided I was interested in sustainable building. That's when it clicked for my sister, and how I ended up as an OC Community Intern this summer.

My whole life I have been interested in sports and hunting. I am very competitive and if you want to motivate me, turn the task into a game and you will be surprised at how much more productive I am. I grew up very connected to the earth and being respectful of our resources. My parents started a small business called Native American Seed that sells only native wildflower and grass seeds to landscapers, government projects, and individuals.

During my internship I met so many people and made so many connections in the sustainable development world. I feel like this internship has been a little blessing in the disguise of a little bit of work…I am very grateful for…the learning experiences and friends I made along the way.

Intern Profile: Adan Peña
My name is Adan Peña, but everyone just calls me Adam. I was born in Dimmitt, Texas and raised in Nazareth, Texas. My parents’ names are Joann and Gilbert Pena. I have two sisters: April and Angelica, and a cousin who was raised in my household named Ramon. I am bilingual--fluent in Spanish and English. I recently graduated from high school in 2011. I am [going to] attend Baylor University in the fall and double major in Economics and Philosophy

I was asked by Dr. Darryl Birkenfeld to participate in this internship and was very excited to join. Although this is my first year, this internship has done a lot of good in our small community. I [have done] many projects, such as: helping my community with a weekly salad, helping another intern with a cemetery history project, and [improving] on a community map. I [even got] my first experience with planting a garden, and launching a new blog for our “Swift Kicks” or our community news.

In my spare time, I enjoy being with my family, reading the bible, playing video games, and living this gracious gift called life to the fullest.

The OC internship was definitely a great way to end my senior summer in my small community. In the beginning, I wasn’t sure if anyone would benefit from my summer internship; I came to discovery that I benefitted from the internship most of all.

Ogallala Commons Newsletter: August (Week 1)

Where Have All the Interns Gone?

Our hardworking Community Intern, Megan England, has spent a good part of her summer tracking down intern alumni. She has written a two-part article with updates on what is happening with Ogallala Commons Community Interns from 2007-2011 (Part II will appear in next week's OC Newsletter: The Place).

Part One (Interns appear in alphabetical order)

Carolina Balderas (’10) is currently employed at a dairy farm near Hereford, TX.

Lacey Barker (’09) is a junior Business major at University of Central Oklahoma in Edmund.

Kyle Birkenfeld (’09) is attending Texas A&M University (College Station, Texas) and majoring in Agricultural Engineering. He is currently interning with an agricultural engineering company in Dalhart, Texas.

Steven Birkenfeld (’09) just finished his sophomore year at Texas A&M University. He is majoring in Ag Engineering and is currently interning with Texas Cotton Ginners Association.

Mary Bitter (’11) works as a Para at Barton County Academy. She will graduate from Barton County Community College (Great Bend, KS) with a History degree in December of 2011. After graduation, she plans to stay in Great Bend and take classes online to get her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Fort Hays State University.

Sydney Busse (’09, ’10) will graduate from Baylor University (Waco, Texas) in May of 2013 with a degree in Health Sciences Studies with a Pre-Physical Therapy major. She then plans to obtain her doctorate in physical therapy and find a program, such as Doctors Without Borders, that would allow her to serve Third-world or underprivileged areas. Eventually, she would like to return to a rural area (ideally Bird City, KS) to live and practice physical therapy.

Simone Cahoj (07, ’08, ’09) graduated from the University of Kansas (Lawrence, Kansas) and is currently employed as the Wichita County Economic Development Director in Leoti, Kansas.

Blenda Cooper (’10) of Denver, Colorado is a personal trainer currently in the process of starting a non-profit to help fight childhood obesity. She specifically wants to help under-served people who could not afford such health services normally.

Emma Cress (’10) will graduate from Northwestern College-Iowa (Orange City, Iowa) in May 2012 with a degree in Athletic Training, Pre-Physical Therapy and a Spanish minor. Soon after, she hopes to attend physical therapy graduate school.

Allison Dunbar (’10) is currently attending college and working at a research lab in Atlanta, Georgia.

Thomas Edwards (’10) is currently studying at Asbury University (Wilmore, Kentucky).

Elisa Elizondo (’11) is currently studying Ecology/Natural History and Ecological Design at Prescott College in Arizona.

Megan England (’09, ’10, ’11) is currently a senior in high school at Campo, Colorado and plans to attend Oklahoma Wesleyan University in the fall of 2012 to study Communications/Media Writing.

Jayme Flores (’07) of Amarillo, Texas is currently going to school for Paralegal Studies and plans to graduate in 2013. She then plans to work for a few months before attending law school.

Larissa Gardner (’10, ’11) is currently a graduate student in History at West Texas A&M University (Canyon, Texas). Her primary focus is Public History, and she is very fond of making history relatable to the public. She plans to finish her degree in the next year and a half, after which she hopes to teach or work in a museum.

Alex Gerber (’09) is currently a sophomore at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. She will soon be entering the nursing program.

Melanie Hartman (’09) of Happy, Texas is presently a wildlife biologist for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. She is stationed at Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge and also works at Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge.

Jordan Hergenreder (’10) is interning for the National Farmers Union in Washington, D.C.

Allyson Hochstein (’08) is enrolled at the School of Nursing at the University of the Incarnate Word (San Antonio, Texas). She will graduate in May 2012 and begin her career as a registered nurse.

Michelle Hochstein (’10) is a senior in high school in Nazareth, Texas where she will graduate in 2012.

Shauna Koester (’11) is studying History at Barton County Community College (Great Bend, KS). After her graduation in 2012, she wants to become a history professor.
 
Kathleen Wyly ('10) is attending Lubbock Christian University, majoring in Organizational Management, and plans to graduate with her Bachelor's degree in December 2012.

Former OC Intern Returns Home
By Megan England, OC Intern

Above: Paige LeBlanc (far right) during her 2009 internship

During the summer of 2009, Paige (Ownbey) LeBlanc became one of Campo, Colorado’s first Ogallala Commons Community Interns. She worked on several projects, but specifically created a website for the town of Campo. Since that time, Paige has graduated from high school, attended college at Otero Junior College in La Junta, Colorado, and has returned home to work at her alma mater.

“Miss Paige”, as the students call her, is currently the daycare provider and assistant high school volleyball coach at Campo School. Recently married, both Paige and her husband, Anthony, volunteer with the local fire department.

Like several former interns, Paige is a wonderful example of what Ogallala Commons hopes to accomplish with community internships: that is, “to inspire home-grown talent to return in the future--to live, work, play and raise their families.”

Intern Profile: Sarah Reeves My name is Sarah Reeves and I've lived in Munday, Texas for my entire life. I graduated from Munday High School in 2009, and am currently attending Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, TX. I am majoring in Elementary Education and plan to graduate in the fall of 2012. This summer I worked with the Knox County Visioning Group, which is dedicated to bringing together the communities in our county and helping to get everyone involved in community-wide events. My biggest project this summer was to help create a county-wide brochure. None of the cities in our county have brochures, so this was an interesting process and learning experience. I can't wait to see the final brochure, which will be something that everyone can enjoy and use to help them learn more about Knox County. We had “Knox County Adventure Days” one weekend in June and had loads of fun activities including: geocaching, bus tours, an “Amazing Grace Race”, a lunch to benefit our fire departments, and a photo scavenger hunt. We also hosted the Bobby Boatright Western Swing Music Camp in Goree, TX at the Knox Prairie Events Center this July. This camp was almost a week long, and students learned how to play guitar and fiddle, as well as simply learning how to better their technique. All in all, I’ve had an amazing summer and become a better person because of it. I have learned valuable skills such as: finding my voice, and finding new ways in which to relate to my community.

Intern Profile: Tia Hadley
I’m Tia Hadley and I'm from Atwood Kansas. I'm a sophomore at the University of Nebraska at Kearney and I'm majoring in biochemistry and theater. I recently got engaged and am really excited to get married when I'm done with college. I found out about this internship from reading about it in my town's newspaper. I hope I can help my community through this internship and work on skills that will help me with my career in the future. Also I'm really excited to learn more about my community and the people who live in it.

I have a very big family. I have three sisters, one brother, three step sisters and two step brothers. In my spare time I love to read as much as I can, listen to music, play video games and hang with friend. My career goals are to get my doctorate in biochemistry and work as a biochemist doing medical research. I want to do research on diseases like cancer and diabetes. I have already got started doing research on diabetes last semester. I wrote a paper over my research and it got published

Intern Profile: Kara Lacey
Hey! I’m Kara Lacey and I am from Tulia, Texas. I attend Texas Tech University and I love it! My major currently is Ag. Education, and I am planning on being a County Extension Agent someday. I found out about the OC internship through my county extension agent, Calley Runnels, because I was wondering if they had any work I could do for the summer at the extension office and she told me about the internship opportunity! I then applied, and was very excited to learn that I got the internship! I expect to learn a lot about how a rural community functions, and also different things that my advisors have to teach me about their job. I also expect to learn about leadership qualities, and what skills you need to be an effective leader.

In my spare time I like to hang out with my friends of course, and I love going to concerts. I like to play tennis a lot when I can find the time for it, which is hardly ever. I also enjoy spending time with my family! And Texas Tech football of course! I am also in Collegiate 4-H, so that takes up time as well. My all time favorite type of music is Texas Country. My favorite bands/artists are Brandon Adams, Turnpike Troubadours, and Brandon Rhyder.

Ogallala Commons Newsletter: July (Week 4)

Intern Profile: Michelle WaitI am Michelle Wait from Pritchett, Colorado. I am a high school math and business teacher at both Pritchett High School and Campo High School which has given me the opportunity to work with some amazing staff and students at both schools.

The biggest part of my internship has been spent working to create an entrepreneurship curriculum for teachers to use in their classrooms. I’m very excited about teaching this curriculum this fall because many of the lessons will be hands-on activities that will allow the students to learn about real-life business processes. My hope is that this curriculum will allow students to bring their ideas about business to life, and perhaps entice them to start their business in our small town areas where they grow up.

In my “spare time,” I like to help my husband on the ranch. My children are 5th generation ranchers and in just a few years, our family will have been ranching in southeast Colorado for 100 years. Kaili, my oldest daughter, will be attending Otero Junior College this fall to study crop sciences. Kerra will be a senior at Pritchett High School this fall and is very active in most everything. Kerra is also participating in the OC Internship Program this summer. Megan will be a 3rd grader who loves to do everything from playing basketball to riding her horses to reading her favorite chapter books. My family is my greatest joy, and it seems like the best times we have together are the days we spend working on the ranch.

Intern Profile: Kerra WaitHi All, I am Kerra Wait from Pritchett, Colorado. This fall I will the youngest senior in my class at Pritchett High School at the age of 16. At school I am involved in everything that is offered that I can; I am in FFA, FBLA, STUCO, 4-H, National Honor Society, Honor Roll, Knowledge Bowl and I have been participating in volleyball, basketball and track since 5th grade. However injuries to my ankles and hips have kept me off the courts and track for the past two years.

This year was my first time to do an internship of any kind and I am really happy I chose to do it with this great organization. Several years ago my older sister, Kaili, was an intern, and this year my mom, Michelle, is a teacher intern as well. So my family is getting really involved with OC and I think it is great!

My internship has been working with the Baca County Economic Development and improving our county. I have had a ton of fun learning about my county and what I can do to improve it. I have also had the pleasure to work a lot with Megan England. One thing I will never forget from my internship was the Connecting Kids to Community Leadership Day that we put on. I had a blast doing that! Also I can’t wait until the Youth Engagement Day that we are also planning because it might actually be more fun! However, I have had a great internship and I have learned so much more than I thought I would about my county and even myself. I can’t wait until I can apply again and have another great summer with great people!

Intern Profile: DeLesa PerezHello everyone my name is DeLesa Perez. I am 19 years old and attending West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. This summer was my third consecutive summer to participate in the Ogallala Commons Internship Program; every year I have grown and learned a lot more. I have met many new faces and have become a better person. This summer throughout out my internship, I have helped at the Hart elementary school with the summer school kids. I also got to help out with the local Lions Club, St. Johns Catholic Church Jamaica, our annual Hart Days Celebration (which was a great hit) and last, but not least, work at City Hall. All together, I have learned so many new skills, each year has become more interesting, and the work has increased. I will also have the opportunity to use what I have learned throughout my internship in my college career and everyday life. Specifically in my internship, I have made the main flyers to advertise the events to bring people from around the community to Hart. I also helped Sue Hawkins at City Hall with mail runs, taking water bill payments, and answering the telephones. I also got to help with the Miss Hart Pageant by encouraging the girls, organizing and helping decorate, and designing a t-shirt for the girls to wear for opening number that night. I may have a few big jobs throughout my internship but with my help on the little jobs, I get to be a part of the bigger picture.

Ogallala Commons Newsletter: July (Week 3)

A Final Chance to Gather The summer break is coming to an end, but there is still one more event that can bring Community Interns together: a concert by Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Terri Hendrix, accompanied by legendary Texas Music producer, multi-instrumentalist Lloyd Maines, in concert at the Home Mercantile in Nazareth, TX on Sunday afternoon, August 14th from 3-5pm. Any OC Community Intern can attend this concert for half-price ($10).

Terri Hendrix exemplifies much of what Community Interns strive for: helping their hometowns, being an entrepreneur, and building a creative career path. Between filling Internet orders alongside her team at Wilory Records from her e-commerce store, working toward the launch of her OYOU (“Own Your Own Universe”) community arts center and keeping up with her three beloved, rambunctious mutts and an organic garden with a mind of its own, Terri Hendrix has certainly had her hands full of late on the San Marcos, Texas, home front. But it would take a lot more than all of the above to keep her from pursuing her insatiable passion for writing and performing music. For more information, please visit Terri’s website: www.terrihendrix.com

By the time she got around to recording her debut album, 1996’s Two Dollar Shoes, Hendrix did what most artists still did at the time, and shopped around for a record label. She was turned down by three, none of which are still in business. She released the record independently, and never looked back. Now, twelve self-released albums later, Hendrix is still thriving — and grateful she made the fateful decision more than a dozen years ago to not only follow her own path through her music career, but to ultimately “own her own universe.” A classically trained vocalist and deft multi-instrumentalist (guitar, mandolin and harmonica), Hendrix is a firm believer in the theory that “life’s too short for one genre,” dodging musical pigeonholes by weaving folk, pop, country, blues and swinging jazz into an eclectic style all her own that plays like a lovingly compiled mix-CD. Add to that her charismatic stage presence and reputation for always delivering an energetic and spiritually uplifting live show (from intimate listening rooms to huge outdoor festivals), and it’s no wonder why she’s been embraced by three generations of loyal fans around the world. As the San Antonio Express-News observed, “Part of the beauty of Terri Hendrix’s music is she’s among the best at recognizing, writing about and celebrating resilience and common ground, the things we can all cry, and laugh, about.” To get the specially-priced intern tickets for the August 14th concert with Hendrix and Maines, please contact OC Director Darryl Birkenfeld by email or phone.

Intern Profile: Aleece Methvin
Hello folks.

My name is Aleece Methvin and I am a Spring 2011 graduate of Texas Tech University earning a degree in General Studies; the focuses being Geography, Psychology, and Photography. I am currently in the process of applying for a Fulbright scholarship to Ethiopia where my proposed research topic will be to work with the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital and document personal experiences involving obstetric fistulas through photography and interviews (that of the patients, their family, doctors, nurses, volunteers, and so on).

A little history: I was born and raised in Levelland, Texas (home of South Plains College, alleged UFO sightings in the 1950s, tumble weeds, cotton, etc.) I currently live thirty miles east of my homeland in Lubbock, Texas where I am participating in a summer internship with Ogallala Commons. Up until now, my duties this summer have consisted of organizing the Ogallala Commons archive within the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library at Texas Tech University so that the community may have access to first-hand information concerning one of the most important subjects of our time-water; at a time when recognizing the fact of its depletion has become unavoidable. Starting this week, however, I will begin helping Andy Wilkinson (the Artist in Residence at the SWC/SCs Library and visiting assistant professor in the School of Music and in the Honors College) with a photo project documenting before and after panoramic images of the landscapes where transmission line segments will be placed around the Texas Panhandle and South Plains regions. (Take a look at http://www.caprockenergy.com/ for more information).

I had the honor of having my final project in Advanced Documentary Photography (a photography book) accepted into the Millennial Collection within the SWC/SCs Library during the Fall 2010 semester, so it has definitely been an honor to work within this constantly evolving archive of West Texas.

Intern Profile: Heather Mitchell
Hello, my name is Heather Mitchell and I live in Roy, New Mexico. I will be a senior this fall at Roy High School. I am active in volleyball, basketball, 4-H, FEA and FFA. I am very passionate about FFA. With every single one of these activities I have done, I have learned a lot, from teamwork to leadership. I always try to do anything that is needed in our small community. I have lived here my entire life and I really care about this town.

This summer of 2011, I have been working for the Harding County Economic Development Board. We have been working on asset mapping this summer. We have been looking at old buildings around our community to see what houses need to be torn down and which ones are good enough for us to rebuild so that we have more house for more families to move in our little town. We have also been asking people questions to see what they know how do like health care or computer skills. So if there is someone that is really good at health care and someone needs help with that then they know who to go to for help. We are also asking them questions trying to see what they think our communities need so we can get more people in our towns. By doing this internship I have started to learn more about myself, like my work ethics, I have also learned what conditions I work best in.

Intern Profile: Jennifer Zavaleta By way of quick introduction, my name is Jennifer Zavaleta and I am a graduate student in the Natural Resource Department at Texas Tech. I was asked to write about the importance of program evaluation and how program evaluation fits in with my future plans after graduation.

My first semester with Ogallala Commons has been a learning and meaningful experience. At the beginning of this internship I was a little unsure of my skills in terms of developing surveys and analyzing their results. However, I have been learning through an independent study with Dr. Todd Brashears in the Agricultural Education Department and now feel much more confidant. In return for helping me with program evaluation for Ogallala Commons, I have worked with him on analyzing surveys, which compare the knowledge and attitudes of meat possessing managers at private and state-operated plants. While the subject matter greatly differs from that which I measured with Ogallala Commons, one fact remains: Program evaluations are essential for program development. Program evaluation is important because it highlights unobvious assumptions, indicates where lessons may need to be bolstered, and provides hard numbers and evidence that an organization is making a difference.

While interning with Ogallala Commons I developed four different surveys for four demographics Ogallala Commons works closely with. This includes landowners who attend management days, teachers who attend playa festival training day, students currently partaking in playa festivals, and former playa festival attendees. Each survey measured knowledge, attitudes and behaviors before and after Ogallala Common’s programming. I have only had the opportunity to analyze the data from the prescribed grazing management day.

The results were, at times, surprising and seemingly contradictory. For example, landowners claimed that management decisions were not primarily driven by economic concerns. However, they were not willing to implement prescribed grazing for financial reasons. After learning this information, I suggested that staff at Ogallala Commons add specific information on the economic advantages of prescribed grazing to better encourage behavioral change. The information I collected helped staff at Ogallala Commons adjust curriculum to better meet the needs of its intended audience, better allocate limited funding, and present hard-data to their board of directors.

The theme of unexpected results is not limited to my experience with Ogallala Commons. Dr. Brashears and I have collected and analyzed data related to organizational climate and culture of meat packing plants in central Mexico. We found that while knowledge-based education is important to improved food safety, it is not sufficient for successful implementation of safety directives. We determined that management’s attitude toward the food safety and work-culture of the plant influenced quality of processed meat. This information changed food safety curriculum. Instead of solely focusing on food safety procedures, now education also includes the importance of food safety and appeals to changing people’s attitude toward safety issues. This small yet meaningful change in curriculum is a significant step toward improving meat quality such that it may be possible to trade with the United States, a goal of Mexican meat production.

Not only are program evaluations valuable because they can show surprising results, they also provide hard numbers as opposed to impressions that people have understood the educational materials and will change their behavior. In our survey to landowners we were able to prove people gained knowledge from management days by asking content-based questions. We were also able to measure that people planned on changing their behavior based on their interactions with Ogallala Commons. The survey asked participants what their behaviors were before the management day and what they hoped to do after. There was a significant intent to change in terms of implementing prescribed grazing, identifying plants on their playa, and providing an adequate buffer zone around their playa. This information demonstrates that Ogallala Commons is having a significant impact in the community. This is powerful information when writing grants and impressive to share with a board of directors. I look forward to analyzing more surveys related to playa festivals once the school year starts.

The program evaluation that I have participated in while working with Ogallala Commons and Dr. Brashears has motivated me to apply for a Fulbright to work in Chile. Chile’s Long Term Socio Economic Research Program has started to link scientists from different universities, field stations, and private industries as well as community members and politicians. This network has the potential to drastically improve collaboration efforts throughout Chile. I would love to be granted the opportunity to work with the LTSER network and help them measure how effective their current efforts are on spreading awareness of the organization and make suggestions for how to improve recognition and collaboration of the network. I will have the opportunity to meet the directors of this program when I attend the Ecological Society of America meeting in Austin this August. I look forward to learning more about the LTSER program and how I can contribute to its success.

Ogallala Commons Newsletter: July (Week 2)

Intern Profile: James CoffeeMy name is James Coffee and this summer I am interning in Pampa, Texas. I will be a senior at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, this year and I am majoring in Landscape Architecture and getting a minor in Geology. I have grown up in Pampa most of my life so it has been nice to come back to my hometown and work this summer. Along with working in Pampa, I will be splitting my time in White Deer, Texas, at the Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District.

This summer, I have been focusing on two major projects; one is the renovation of the Xeriscape garden in White Deer and the other is helping out the Chamber of Commerce with the planning of their main summer events. The Xeriscape garden was created to show people how you can create a nice looking garden that does not use a lot of water but over the years it has been neglected and overgrown. I have come up with a new design and we have started working on the garden and hope to complete it by the end of summer. In Pampa, I have been helping out the Chamber director with the Boomtown Block Party and the Summer Celebration. The Boomtown Block Party is a business expo for the businesses of Pampa. The Summer Celebration is where News Channel Ten does the evening news, live in Pampa. This year it will be near the new water park in town and a live band will be playing as well as having tons of booths for food and games. I have really enjoyed my time back home and I feel that these projects have made a positive impact on the communities.

Intern Profile: Greg Laudenslager
Hello, happy summer everyone!
My name is Greg and I am thrilled to be working with the collective of farmers, ranchers, and consumer Foodies that make up the High Plains Food Co-op. We have a wide selection of amazing foods that are raised with TLC instead of chemicals and antibiotics. You can certainly taste the quality of the foods, and the prices are comparable to what you pay at King Soopers. (Shop online at HighPlainFoods.org)

A bit about myself: I am a native Coloradan with a strong pioneering spirit and insatiable curiosity. I am fascinated by the world around me and I like to surround myself with people that challenge me to wonder, imagine, explore, and discover. I am a brother, son, and CU Buffalo. I am an Earthling and have a high regard for Mother Earth & her creatures. Life is such a precious gift and I am thankful for everyday. I feel a spiritual connection to the land and believe passionately in using thoughtful ecological design, whether it be in agriculture or urban planning. Biodiversity allows for the amazing functions of nature to replace the use of chemical fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc. Permaculture (agro-ecology) is the practice of doing just that, stewarding the land to develop a thriving Edible Ecosystem. I just pulled the term Edible Ecosystem out of nowhere, but it is certainly a good way of thinking about Permaculture techniques. You probably get the picture that I enjoy being an advocated for thoughtful, functional ecological design. I also enjoy backpacking, mountain biking, climbing (trees included!), snow!, cooking, eating, gardening, traveling, relaxing in my hammock, and spending time with friends & family!

Peace & Love!
Greg

PS I am thankful that Bees and Worms do so much to sustain our existence!

An Intern’s Perspective on the 2011 Ogallala Commons Retreat
Megan England

Above: A few of the “Commoners” at the retreat toured “The Garden” at Hi-Plains Food Bank (Front Row L-R: Darryl Birkenfeld, Megan England, Nikki Johnson, Mary Libby Campbell. Back Row L-R: Tom Giessel, Bob Mailander)

I just returned from the 2011 Ogallala Commons Retreat in Amarillo, Texas. Having never been to such a thing previously, I had no idea what to expect. I’m not super-great friends with the unknown or unexpected. (Must be a Gold thing).

What I didn’t expect was the respect. Sure, I knew everyone would be nice, but really, who wants a seventeen-year-old girl hanging out at a board meeting for a non-profit organization? What I found was that I was taken seriously, even though they knew I was still in high school!

I decided quickly that God gave me two ears and one mouth for a reason, so I must have seemed pretty quiet. I was intrigued (and yes, slightly intimidated) by the conversation of the incredibly talented, motivated, and passionate people on the OC Board. Who needs to talk when there are so many interesting things to listen to?

While the meetings I attended were great, I must tell you they didn’t compose the entire event. On Monday evening, we attended the Ogallala Commons Funding Dinner, and it was exciting to hear from several other interns on their projects. I read the blogs, but hearing the stories in person is always amazing!

Above: Myself and fellow intern Kerra Wait, at the Ogallala Commons Funding Dinner

On Tuesday, we toured the West Texas A&M University Enterprise Center and learned about entrepreneurship. Then, after an afternoon Retreat session, we got to eat dinner at the house of an Ogallala Commons friend—with a gorgeous view of the canyon—and I was reminded that not only are the OC board members good at what they do, they are just plain fun! (By the way, if you haven’t been to the Palo Duro Canyon area—go!). We finished up the Retreat on Wednesday with a wonderful tour of the Hi-Plains Food Bank Community Garden, led by intern Cara Young, and later, the final Retreat session before we adjourned at noon.

Attending the OC Retreat was a great eye-opener for me, and to top it all off, I got to meet some amazing people who didn’t seem to mind taking time out of their day to hear from “kids” like me, really listen to our ideas, and give us great input. I was shown a side of Ogallala Commons I’d never seen before, and I would love to be able to bring something to the OC table—even after my internship—because I believe their purpose is absolutely priceless!

Ogallala Commons Newsletter: July (Week 1)

Intern Profile: Rebecca Garrison

I’m Rebecca Garrison from Mosquero in Harding County, New Mexico. I just graduated from Mosquero High School this May. In the Fall, I’ll be a sophomore at Clovis Community College where I’ve been earning dual credits since my sophomore year of high school, and will be majoring in Early Childhood Development. I actually have only lived in Mosquero for about 2 ½ years, but since being here I’ve been amazed by this small, thriving community.

This summer, I’m interning under Mary Campbell and Daniella Johnson who work for the Harding County’s Economic Development Office. One of the many goals we want to accomplish is to get our youth involved in the county by heartening teens to get an education, by graduating high school and college, and coming back to their hometown. Also, we would like to get businesses to help by promoting and encouraging teens to come back and work in the county. We are trying to get ideas from everyone on how to motivate the community's youth and adults to build local economy. During my internship, we are going to do a mass survey involving covering at least 300 community members (half our county population), asking them what they would like to see come into the county; and asking for ideas on how they think we can go farther in improving our community. From this intern experience, I am gaining a better appreciation for the hard work that community members and businesses like the Economic Development Office do to help keep our community on the map.


Intern Profile: Liz Hill

My name is Liz Hill. I’m 19 and this summer I’m completing an internship in my hometown of Dimmitt, Texas. I attend Texas A&M where I’m majoring in marketing with a minor in communications. I’ve loved living at home this summer and giving back to the community that has given so much to me.

The biggest project I’m working on this summer is a renovation of the Dimmitt City Park. We hope to replace some old playground equipment first and add a splash pad, some trees, and a parking lot. I’ve been working to secure grant funding for this project with the City Manager’s office. Writing the grants is really difficult because of the level of detail required and the planning you have to do beforehand. But I’m enjoying the challenge and I hope that this renovation is a huge success! I’ve also been helping the City Manager come up with some ideas to revitalize our city recycling plant. We hope to implement some changes by the end of the summer.

I’ve been working with the Chamber of Commerce here in Dimmitt to organize an exciting event for the community. On July 19th, the local news will broadcast from Dimmitt as a part of their Summer Celebration Series. The four newscasts will feature stories about Dimmitt and surrounding communities, there will be vendors on the square, live music, food, and lots of fun! I’m excited to get to help showcase my community, and as the day draws closer we just work harder.


Intern Profile: Raylyn Bowers

My name is Raylyn Bowers, and I will start my senior year at Tulia High School (Tulia, TX) this fall. I learned about this internship from a former intern and I thought it sounded interesting. After high school, I plan to attend the University of Texas at Austin to study Engineering.

During my internship, I will work at Rose Hill Cemetery in Tulia, putting all of the names and dates from the headstones into the computer. Then, when that is finished, hopefully we can make an easy-to-read map. The map would be made so that when people come to visit their loved ones, they will be able to find them without searching an entire section for them.

After the cemetery, I will work at the hospital, exploring what it takes to keep a rural community hospital running. I will work with the doctors, nurses, medical records, and central supply.

Next, I will be at a different cemetery. The cemetery in Happy, Texas, needs someone to transfer information from a card into the computer. I will be working with the City Secretary and Patricia Sims to get this work done.

Then I plan to work for the Tulia Chamber of Commerce, getting everything prepared for the town picnic and parade. During picnic, I plan to volunteer for the hospital, while they set up inflatable slides and jumping toys on the town square for the children to jump on.

Immediately after Picnic is over, I am on my way to Europe for a week, then back to Tulia to finish up my projects.