November/December News

Engaging Youth in Kansas

Pharmacy owner Dawn Hampton instructs youth
entrepreneurs in how to build a successful retail
business in small towns

Two dozen teenagers interested in community improvement, creating new enterprises, or building careers through entrepreneurship took part in a Youth Engagement Day, held in Atwood, KS on November 7th.  The students in Grade 7-12 were from Rawlins County and St. Francis, KS schools.  Another dozen adult mentors led the youth in tours of Rawlins County Hospital, Mizer Milling, Rawlins County Dental Clinic and Currier Drug / Bison Compounding and Therapy.  To conclude, youth presented their idea to the entire group to get feedback and critique for the Spring Entrepreneurship Fair.  Winning Ideas were selected by vote.  1st Place - Cameron Colgan and Sheldon McCain with, Critter Emitters the humane pest removers, 2nd Place - Matt and Zach White,  Aquaponics Vegetable and Fresh Fish business, 3rd Place - Austin Rueber, Cancer Research, 4th Place - Dillon Cozza,  All Around Farm, 5th Place Jayln Dirks, Women's Hunting Lodge, and 6th Place - Spohia Hampton  and Rohey Singhateh, Specialty Clothing Design.   Every student that participated in the Youth Engagement Day received 5 or 10 bonus points if they submit their project ideas in the Spring E-ship Fair

Youth have bright ideas that can improve and reinvent our rural communities too.  But youth need help and resources in learning how to move ideas off the drawing board into real life.  Soft skills and communication are so important for being successful today, and activities like Youth Engagement Days and Youth Entrepreneur Fairs can provide those opportunities to our youth.

Youth Showcase Business Ideas

Winners of the 6th Annual Ogallala Commons Regional 
Entrepreneur Fair celebrate in Plainview, Texas

On November 13th, 42 students competed in the 6^th Annual Ogallala Commons Regional Youth Entrepreneur Fair, held at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, TX.  Aspiring entrepreneurs from New Deal, Plainview, Dimmitt, Tulia, and Nazareth displayed 21 business ideas, and top finishers received cash prizes totaling $4,500. 

The following youth entrepreneurs were awarded prizes in the “Ready-to-Go business category: 1st place ($1000) Jordan Smoot and Jessica Walker, Tulia, Kupcake Kuties; 2^nd Place ($750) Haley Raymond, Plainview, Attic Treasures; 3^rd Place ($500) Daniel Buck, Dimmitt, Daniel’s RV Park.

(L-R): Darryl Birkenfeld, Ogallala Commons Director, Adrie Lopez,
Emarie Marten, Estafania Saldana, and Amy Henderson,
Vice-President and Commercial Loan Officer,
Amarillo National Bank
Photo by Heath Acker

In the “Still-in-the-Future” business category: 1^st place ($1,000) Adrie Lopez, Estephania Saldana, and Emarie Marten, Friona, Remember When; 2^nd place ($750) Courtney Thornton, Criselda Olivarez, Trace Johnson, Mariah Powell, and Saragosa Rodriquez, Tulia, Puzzles; and 3^rd place ($500) Marisol Quitana and Iris Ocon, Dimmitt, Fashionably Delicious. 

Prize money donors for the Fair were City of Tulia EDC, Peoples Bank-Nazareth, Deaf Smith Electric Cooperative, Happy State Bank, First Bank Muleshe, Amarillo National Bank, Swisher Electric Cooperative, John Bertsch, CFP, and Cargill Feeders, Inc. Sponsors for the Youth E-Fair were West Texas A&M Enterprise Center, West Texas A&M University Small Business Development Center, Plainview Main Street/CVB, along with Ogallala Commons.

Partnering to Create Community Internships
Ogallala Commons is distributing its 2013 Community Internship Partner Guidebook across 7 states, identifying and informing communities, businesses, and organizations about the benefits of creating internships that can enrich both interns and local communities.  On Dec. 4^th, OC held a Community Partnering Meeting at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, TX, and shared information and built contacts with new organizations and businesses, as well as career services representatives from area universities.  In 2013, OC aims to create over 60 Community Internships.  To obtain information or an application for a Community Internship, contact Julie Hodges, OC Education Coordinator (juliehodges@prairieworkshop.com)

Support our Annual Appeal

Want to help Ogallala Commons with its growing Community Internships Program?  Your tax-deductible contribution to Ogallala Commons will directly support 60 Community Interns in Texas, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Oklahoma in 2013.  For your convenience, we have set up an online contribution system using PayPal. Simply click here to make a contribution now.  If you would rather mail in your contribution, print out the attached contribution form and fill it out to enclose with your contribution.  The address for Ogallala Commons is PO BOX 346, Nazareth, TX 79063.  We appreciate your support!

October News

Learning About Water

Ogallala Commons is conducting water education for schools in the Texas Panhandle and Eastern New Mexico with Playa Festivals – a hands-on environmental education program designed to illustrate the challenges of water in the Southern High Plains.  Participants learn about playa wetlands, the Ogallala Aquifer, soils, plants, waterfowl and other wildlife during the day-long event.  After a morning of activities, students visit a nearby playa, salina or river to explore, collect samples and make observations in their nature journals.  Playa Festivals are funded by several regional underground water conservation districts, The Dixon Water Foundation, and Xcel Energy Foundation.

Ogallala Commons’ very own Darryl Birkenfeld and Julie Hodges make presentations at each Festival; additionally, OC provides a unique cast of experienced presenters. Jim Steiert, an author and waterfowler from Hereford, Texas, demonstrate the effectiveness of buffers around wetlands to prevent sedimentation, as well as great information about waterfowl. Justin Trammell, an OC Community Intern, teaches about wetland macroinvertebrates and all tiny creatures that thrill Festival participants.  Gail Barnes, Education Coordinator at the South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Lubbock, brings “wildlife ambassadors” --live animals used for educational programming that have been injured or orphaned, and cannot be released into the wild.  Robert Martin is a herpetologist for The Nature Conservancy and Jessica Kissner is a graduate student from Texas Tech University.  Robert and Jessica’s presentations shed light onto the mysterious world of reptiles and amphibians that inhabit playas and other wetlands.

Engaging Youth and Planning Internships

Ogallala Commons will be partnering with Rawlins County Schools and Rawlins County HTC, and Ogallala Commons for a Youth Engagement Day, to be held at Rawlins County High School in Atwood, Kansas on Wednesday, November 7th from 8:30am to 1:30pm.

With its theme, "A World of Ideas," our Youth Engagement Day is designed for 7-12 Grade students who are interested in community improvement, creating new enterprises and businesses, or building careers through entrepreneurship. It will be an exciting time for students to bring ideas and to grow them through communication and collaboration with others.  Ogallala Commons will conduct two sessions that will focus on creating Community Internships, and cover topics such as how to organize successful internships, how to finance them, how to build work plans, and how youth engagement fit with internships.  OC Board of Directors Simone Cahoj, Bobby Gierisch, and Tom Giessel will be assisting with the Community Partnering presentations.

Youth E-Fair Coming in November

Business ideas from over 60 high schools students are being entered into the 6^th Annual OC Regional Youth Entrepreneur Fair, set for November 13^th in Plainview, TX.  The Fair will be held at the Multi-Purpose Room on the campus of Wayland Baptist University.  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 the area. 

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.  Keynote speakers at the 11am session will be 2 former winners of previous Fairs.

Presentations at the Texas Midwest Communities Network (TMCN) Annual Conference

On October 17^th, Julie Hodges traveled to Abilene, Texas, where she presented a “Solution Seminar” on youth engagement activities for communities.  Julie explained OC’s Youth Engagement Programs: Youth Engagement Days, Youth Entrepreneur Fairs and the OC Community Internship Program.  Approximately 80 people attended Julie’s sessions.

Intern Profile: Nellie Hill

Photo: Jade Comstock (DLC Photography)

I am a lover of sunflowers, fields of wheat, I-70 and the Kansas State Wildcats. I am a proud Kansas native who recently became a temporary Texan. My family lives in rural Marion County, Kansas surrounded by CRP grass and an hour from the nearest big-box store. Manhattan became my new home as I attended Kansas State until graduation this past May.   In pursuit of a Master’s in Agricultural Communications, I made the move this past August to Lubbock, Texas [Tech]. My passion for agriculture takes form in communicating with and educating the public about agriculture's impact on their daily lives.  I enjoy sharing the stories of producers and agribusinesses with consumers who have a growing interest in where their food comes from. My long-term goal is to help future agricultural communicators prepare to share the message of agriculture.  After completing my Master’s degree, I hope to work in the industry and later pursue a Doctoral degree and become a professor.  My interests in industry work include communications work for commodity groups, government agriculture agencies or event coordination for university colleges. The Ogallala Commons communications internship will help me reach these goals by keeping me in-tune and giving back to the lands I have always called home. My neighbors, new and old, are affected by the socio-economic, environmental and government actions associated with the aquifer and Great Plains.

September News

Youth Engage a “World of Ideas”

Attendees at Youth E-Day in Plainview, TX

At a time when a variety of enterprises are needed to build vibrant communities, more than 110 high school youth brought their best ideas to a couple of Ogallala Commons Youth Engagement Days: one in Plainview, TX (Sept. 11^th) and another in Dumas, TX (Sept. 18^th).  

In the first session of the Youth E-Day, teenagers worked in small groups, sharing their ideas and getting feedback from facilitators, most of whom were from SIFE (Students Involved in Free Enterprise) chapters at Wayland Baptist University and

Students and facilitators at Youth E-Day in Dumas, TX

West Texas A&M University.  In each small group, participants voted one idea as "Best in Group." The second part of the event featured a walking tour of “Ideas Made Real” with site visits to local businesses and enterprises that make an impact locally and regionally.  Before the event wrapped up, students were invited to continue fleshing out their ideas by entering two upcoming Youth Entrepreneur Fairs, or by applying for an OC Community Internship.  Above all, everyone attending the Youth E-Day was encouraged to connect to and develop their own dreams, and to recognize that all communities want and need our youth to return—when they choose and when they are ready--to live, work, and raise their families.  Ogallala Commons staff and partners will present the next Youth Engagement Day in Atwood, KS on Nov. 7^th

Banner Year for Community Internships

As the fall season arrives, Ogallala Commons is putting the wraps on its largest and most diverse group of Community Internships.  In 2012, a total of 46 Community Interns worked on several hundred projects and activities--in towns, counties, and organizations spread across Texas, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, and New Mexico.  In the process, the interns gained valuable work experience, increased their professional skills and honed their talents--while working on projects that added value to their communities and institutions. 

In addition, Community Interns had many opportunities to explore career options that could bring them back to their hometowns and regions one day. 

In 2012, OC Community Interns consisted of 19 College-level Interns, 17 high school-level interns, 4 Interns in Graduate School, and 6 older adult interns.  Congratulations to our Interns, and thanks for a job well done.

Recruitment of new interns has already begun.  On September 12^th, OC Board President Tom Giessel (Larned, KS) and Chris Sramek, OC Advisory Council (Atwood, KS), joined OC Director Darryl Birkenfeld to staff a booth at the Career-Internship Fair at Fort Hays State University in Hays, KS.  Nearly 3 dozen college students from Kansas and Nebraska towns stopped by the booth to make inquires and leave off their resumes.  OC has already received 6 applications for 2013 Community Internships (4 from West Texas A&M SIFE students featured in the photo below).  Applications can be procured by emailing Julie Hodges, OC Education Coordinator (juliehodges@prairieworkshop.com)

Intern Profile: Justin Trammell

My name is Justin Trammell and I am 22 years old. I am from the Amarillo/Canyon area. I learned to love the earth and appreciate both domestic and wild animals as I grew up on my family farm. I attended Canyon High School and received my B.S. in wildlife biology from West Texas A&M University in 2012. I am currently attending graduate school at WT, getting my degree in biology with a thesis focusing on the vegetation and invertebrate communities of playa lakes.

While in college, I became part of the WT Herdsmen, an organization that deepened my love for animals and my understanding about conservation issues [and] refined my character. I am passionate about wildlife and about educating people on how to better coexist with wildlife while still making a living.

This internship will help me by allowing me make more contacts and achieve a better understanding of local issues, as well as how to run education events which would help me to get employed at government agencies or NGO’s where I could pursue my passion. 

Intern Profile: Monica Veleta

Hello everyone! My name is Monica Veleta. I’m from the small community of Tribune, KS. According to the 2010 Census, our population is 1,247. I am [in] my senior year of High School and hope [to] graduate in the year of 2013. After I graduate, I hope to go to college and enter the world of Accounting and Sociology, as well as being in an athletic program.

My internship [was] held in Tribune, with Christy Hopkins. It has always been a goal of mine to make a positive impact on my community. With the help of Christy and this internship, I hope to [have made] that impact this summer.

August News

Ogallala Commons Interns: Supporting Local Foods

Angela Ludolph and Paul Martin

Darryl visits Seguin Community
Gardens to see the work of intern 

and volunteers

Since 2010, OC Community Interns have been active in growing local food systems, and this summer, nearly a dozen interns in Colorado, Texas, and Kansas are working at food co-ops, farmers markets, or community gardens. 

Last week, OC Director Darryl Birkenfeld made a trip to Austin and nearby Seguin, TX to learn more about a series of community gardens that Intern Angela Ludolph is working on, under the supervision of Dr. Paul Martin.  While in the vicinity, Darryl also met with OC Board Member Bobby Gierisch, who is playing a major role in program development for OC Interns.

Paul Martin and Pedro

In addition, we are happy to feature a photo of intern Joshua Nameth, doing great work with Arkansas Valley Organic Growers in the Colorado Springs area.

Marcy Nameth, AVOG General Manager, and son Joshua,
Ogallala Commons intern. (Photo courtesy of Hobbs Family Farm).

Intern Profile: Angela Ludolph

Hello!  My name is Angela Ludolph and I live in Austin, Texas.  Originally from Pekin, Illinois, I moved to Texas to attend Texas A&M University where I earned a BS in Geology.  I’ve worked as an environmental consultant in Austin for the past 12 years.  A few years ago, I decided I was ready to try something new.  So in 2010, I returned to school to pursue something I am very passionate about: nutrition. 

For my internship, I'm going to be working for the Seguin LULAC Community Garden.  My main goal will be to gain community involvement in the garden - and I've already planned several approaches for that I can't wait to try.  I’ve never worked in a community garden before, but I know that it combines three of my favorite things - food, being outside, and helping my neighbors.....this is a win-win for me!

Intern Profile: Katie Matthew

Hello readers!  My name is Katie Matthew and I live in a tiny studio apartment in Canyon, Texas.  I have lived all over Texas and even a bit of Arkansas, but these beautiful Panhandle Plains are my home for now.  I am currently a senior at West Texas A&M University and I am going to graduate in May 2013 with my RN, BSN.  

My internship this summer is being split between the Wesley Community Center and the Mariposa Eco Village.  At the Wesley, I am in charge of the community garden.  This is an exciting opportunity because, as of now, it is quite sparse and needs a lot of work.  I have a lot of imagination and optimism, and I know that by the end of my internship we will be producing food for the neighborhood to enjoy.  At the Mariposa Eco Village, I will be classifying, identifying, and cataloging medicinal plants.  As a nursing student, medicine is a passion of mine and I truly believe that natural medicine can be a more accessible and cost-effective way to stay healthy, especially in rural areas. 

Intern Profile: Darcy Schulte

Hi everyone, my name is Darcy Schulte. I am from the small farming community of Nazareth, TX. My internship will consist of continuing an ongoing project with our small cemetery. I will also be painting an awning, taking care of our community garden, and assisting with a camp for at risk children. I have heard of Ogallala Commons for years now and knew that they were certainly community minded but I had no idea how deep into the communities it runs.  I am extremely honored to able to be a part of the change for the better. I love my community and by doing this internship I have specific jobs that I would not have thought of on my own. I also will be able to get to know my community and pass down that knowledge to younger generations.

Intern Profile: Coby Villarreal

My name is Coby Villarreal and [I'm] from the small town of Wilson, Texas. What I'm doing for my internship is...reviewing and researching plans for a fitness plan for the Summer Academy. I will also be assisting in the Inventory and Revitalization projects for Wilson Park and the downtown part of Wilson.

[I] believe that a fitness plan will get the kids more involved and also I am hoping to get the parents involved so something new is introduced to Wilson, Texas. I also believe that the kids will be excited to learn during school and then after they are done will have fun so [it's] not just all school. I am excited to be a part of this program and all the people I met.

July News (4)

A couple dozen people attended the Playa Field Day on
July 14th, and viewed scores of waterfowl and shorebirds.

Ogallala Commons Interns: Stewarding Natural Resources

In recent years, Ogallala Commons has expanded its Stewarding Natural Resources Program.  In addition to conducting Playa Festivals for schools, OC also offers 4 Playa Field Days throughout the year, to inform landowners and the general public to increase awareness and conservation of these fragile prairie wetlands.  OC Community Interns have played a key role in our water education efforts, and currently there are 5 interns working primarily on stewarding natural resources in their communities.

The flyer below advertises the great work two Ogallala Commons interns, Tishia Stewart and Masi Mejia, have done in helping to organize a wonderful event called "Meet the Refuge" at Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge. Click the photo to enlarge it and learn more! Read on to learn more about Masi, Tishia, and their respective internships.

Intern Profile: Masi Mejia

My name is Masi Mejia and I am originally from Laredo, Texas. I currently attend Texas Tech University and am a senior Environmental Conservation of Natural Resource major with a minor in Agricultural Leadership.

My internship consists of two parts: the first of which I will be assisting Maria Miller, Director of Education, from the National Farmers Union. I will be assisting her in various duties involved with the National Farmers Union’s Women conference in Bailey, Colorado. At this conference, rural women are given the skills and training needed to help the family farm with finances, marketing, business planning and various issues facing women on farms today. I will also be assisting Ms. Miller in the All-States Leadership Camp in Bailey, Colorado, where National Farmers Union members ages 17-20 have the opportunity to explore their leadership skills and current issues in hopes of going back to their rural communities to create positive change. The second part of my internship will be taking place at the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge under Jude Smith. [One] of the main goals is to help organize and plan an educational day under Ogallala Commons. I hope that, while on the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge, I am exposed to more natural resource management as well as learning the inner workings of a federal agency, and [am able to increase] my knowledge of  waterfowl management.

Intern Profile: Tishia Stewart

Hi everyone! I'm Tishia from the lovely eastern New Mexico town of Clovis, New Mexico. I was born at Cannon Air Force Base and soon thereafter was swept away to Hawaii. We lived there for a few years then moved to Hollywood, California, where I went to school until my junior high years. My parents and I relocated to Clovis, New Mexico where the thing to do for fun, aside from athletics, was to cruise Main Street with a truck full of friends. Upon graduation I joined the Army Reserve as an x-ray tech. When that was all said and done I moved to Whittier, CA to attend Whittier College and major in biology.

I suppose there were other plans that I was not aware of because I returned to Clovis about 4 years ago with my two children to be closer to my  ailing Grandmother, their Great-Grandmother. I have a deep love and appreciation for my family and that was something I wanted to pass on to my kids: You do what you can for your family.

...I [have] met some of the most incredible people during my independent college studies and Texas Master Naturalist programs that my head happily spins just thinking them. ...And from those experiences I am eager to share my new knowledge within and around my community.

Intern Profile: Reina Lewis

October 5, 1992 I was brought into this world by Clint and Sherella Lewis. With a one year old child in their lives already, they had their hands full. [...] In January of 1993 my parents moved us to Tulia, Texas...[t]his is where they raised me, and where my younger brother Cole was born.

Beginning at a young age I was involved in agriculture. My competed in my first horse [show] at age 5, where I won my first blue ribbon. So I continued to compete for 13 more years, and I continued to be just as successful as I was that first year. I plan to stay on the livestock team as I continue my education, and eventually get a degree in Agriculture Communications from Texas Tech University.

Through this internship I hope to aid my community become more than just a typical “small town”. Many young people do not realize the impact they can have on a community. I hope to gain knowledge, and spread awareness about opportunities to Tulia's youth. 

Intern Profile: Cailin Neudorf

Hello everyone! My name is Cailin Neudorf, and I’m from the small town of Hart, Texas where I will be a junior at Hart High School. I am the new Vice President for Student Council, was inducted into National Honor Society this year, I am a Varsity cheerleader, and a part of the Varsity basketball, cross country, track and golf teams. After high school, I would love to major in education and also become a basketball coach. I have two younger sisters, Camrie, 15, and Candyce, 12. My mother is our high school principle and my step dad is a coach as well.
Growing up in a small town has given me the opportunity to be involved in many activities. My mom and other family members are very involved in the community. Watching them having chosen to stay in their home town to make a living, raise their families and giving back to their community, has shown me the importance of community involvement. This internship will allow me to continue to learn how to do that and continue to make our town grow and be the best place possible.

July News (3)

Building up Partners in Colorado

Intern Greg Laudenslager proudly displays
 the attractive HPFC delivery bags that help
bring fresh foods to customers

Last week, OC Director Darryl Birkenfeld made a trip to Denver to work with Community Internships and partners in the region.  On July 19th, Darryl and Bob Mailander, OC Advisory Council member met with Bill Stevenson, Director of Rocky Mountain Farmers Union—Cooperative Development Center, to work on a RMFU-OC collaboration to place 5 Community Interns at cooperatives in Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming in 2013.  Later in the afternoon, Bob and Darryl visited the Delivery Day in downtown Denver by High Plains Food Co-op, where they found OC Community Intern Greg Laudenslager and many volunteers hard at work.  Over 80 orders to HPFC members were filled at the delivery, totaling over $7,000 in sales by HPFC producers.  On July 20th, Bob and Darryl traveled to Longmont, CO for a meeting with Marsha Whiting, Senior Program Officer for First Nations Development Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating, advocating, and capitalizing Native American communities, youth, and entrepreneurs.  OC presented its Community Internship Program as a potential tool that First Nations’ constituents in Great Plains states could utilize.  Identifying and engaging partners for Community Internships is a year-round, ongoing process for Ogallala Commons.

Intern Profile: Kara Lacey

Hey there! I'm Kara Lacey! I am from Tulia, Texas, and I am 20 years old. I am a junior at Texas Tech University, and I am majoring in Agriculture Education, with hopes of being a County Extension Agent one day soon! I am interning at Texas AgriLife Extension in [Tulia] for [a] second summer and I am so excited! This summer, I plan on learning more about Extension, since [that is] the career path I've chosen. But, I also plan on learning more about my small community, and helping with different things here! I am helping with the moth research again, I will volunteer a day or so at our county library, and help with 4-H roundup. Of course, I'll be busy around Picnic again, but that's the most fun event in the summer! I'm very pumped up for this summer and working with my supervisors and fellow interns. I plan to learn a lot of new things!

Intern Profile: Melanie Jackson

Hello esteemed readers, I’m Melanie Jackson.  I grew up in New Deal, Texas (just north of the grand metropolis that is Lubbock).  I’ve always lived on my family’s sheep farm and attended New Deal ISD, home of the mighty lions.  Upon graduation, I shipped off to Texas A&M University, where I have just completed my freshman year as a Landscape Architecture major.

During my senior year of high school, I was fortunate enough to come into contact with my now-internship sponsor.  He’s the landscape architect behind Prairie Workshop LLC (a landscape architecture firm in Lubbock), and when the suggestion of a summer internship came up, I was simply thrilled to have been presented with a chance to observe firsthand the inner workings of my future career and to contribute to the creation and completion of design projects...[Through] my internship, I have the incentive and the capacity to improve not only myself, but to explore and improve the communities I call home. 

Intern Profile: Jake Johnson

Hello everyone, my name is Jake Johnson from Whiteface, Texas in Cochran County. I live on a rather large ranch, (for our area) and with my dad and grandad, we run, on average, about 1200 cattle in all. I'm looking forward to working in the community as well as out at the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge close to Muleshoe, TX. This summer, I will be studying any and all kinds of grassland birds of West Texas. I have the honor to work with some really great folks at the refuge throughout my internship, as well as in the community of Whiteface. I believe there is a lot to be done in Whiteface with housing arrangements, and I look forward to lending a helping hand where ever is necessary.

Intern Profile: Dayna Larreau

Hello everyone! My name is Dayna Larreau, and I’m from the tiny village of Arnold, Nebraska. It has been my home for my entire life, and the community has shaped me into who I am today. I recently finished my freshman year at the University of Nebraska at Kearney and I am currently living at home in Arnold again for the summer. I’m majoring in Economics, which is almost always considered awful or boring, but after taking a course in it, I found it to be super exciting.

My internship is going to be split between the Arnold Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) and The Arnold Sentinel, our local newspaper. [...] For the AEDC I have quite a few projects, but the largest will be dealing with that interest in genealogy and taking a census of the Arnold Cemetery and putting the information on a Web site.  For the Sentinel, I will be doing quite a bit of researching and reporting about the people that have stayed in the area and about how the recently implemented 1% sales tax has affected the community economically.

I am excited to begin helping out and becoming involved with Arnold over the summer.

July News (2)

Spreading the Word on Successful Tools 
Darryl Birkenfeld, Director, Ogallala Commons

Jeff Reid from the WTAMU Enterprise Center
presents on a financial projection model

Ogallala Commons put its Youth Engagement Programs in full display last week at two events.  On July 11^th, Julie Hodges moderated a panel entitled, “Engaging Youth – Securing the Future,” at the Texas Economic Development Council Summer Meeting at The Overton Hotel in Lubbock, TX.  Julie introduced OC’s programs, and found ways to involve OC Community Interns Rebecca Hopp, Masi Mejia, and Will Brewer, as well as a Youth E-Fair 1^st prize winner, Kristen True from Plainview, TX.

On July 12^th, OC co-presented a Training on Youth Engagement & Youth Entrepreneurship in conjunction with the WTAMU Enterprise Center from 9am-4pm at the Enterprise Center in Amarillo, TX. We were pleased to have 20 participants at the event, including Chris Sramek from Atwood, KS, and OC Board Member Bobby Gierisch from Austin, TX, as well as high school and college educators from New Mexico and Texas.  OC is gearing up to conduct 5 Youth Engagement Days in Texas, Colorado, and Kansas this fall. 

Supervisor Spotlight: Wilson, Texas (Justin McKibben and Shawna Jones)

Justin McKibben – Justin wears several hats around Wilson ISD. He currently holds the position of IT Director overseeing and purchasing new technology for a recent $1.5 million dollar grant, with another $2 million over 2 more years. He is also a certified Texas peace officer and is the School Resource Officer for the district. Justin is also the Youth Director for First Baptist Church of Wilson. Justin is currently married with 1 kid (an English Bulldog named Macie).

Shawna Jones – Shawna also works for Wilson ISD and is the Community in Schools liaison. She spends her time helping students and the community with daily issues and needs. She holds a regular “girls group” with teenage girls to talk about the issues in their lives. Shawna loves to travel the world and experience new cultures. Shawna is spending a month this year in Panama.

Intern Profile: Tristen Huseman

My name is Tristen Huseman.  I was raised in Nazareth, Texas until I was five years old.  This is when my family moved to Tulia, Texas, where I currently live.  I am the oldest of four children, I have one younger sister Dawn, and two younger brothers Collin and Ethan.  Next year, I will be a junior at Tulia High School.  I play alto saxophone in the Tulia Fightin’ Hornet Band, varsity basketball, varsity tennis, and I run track.  My internship is located at Tulia Junior High School.  My duties during my internship will include tutoring kids in math, helping with the special-needs kids during their summer school, and assisting with Tulia ISD’s summer food program that provides free meals to any children throughout the summer.

Intern Profile: Alyssa Irlbeck

"Hi, my name is Alyssa Irlbeck.  I grew up on a farm and ranch near Happy and Tulia, graduated from Texas Tech, and now [...] work with the City Manager of Tulia to get the satellite YMCA in Tulia up and running for my community internship.  I will also conduct surveys and compile data for the Economic Development Council (EDC), look into rural health care opportunities - both existing and ones we may be able to generate - to encourage young people to come back to our town, and work on establishing Tulia as a "Main Street" town."  [...] Community Internships through the Ogallala Commons - what a great chance to change the world by putting you in contact with others who can help you make it a little brighter and a little better than it was before.

Intern Profile: Haley Jacobsen

I’m Haley Jacobson from the small town of Arnold, Nebraska. I love taking pictures, watching movies, writing, and going to the lake. I just graduated on May 12, and I am looking forward to a great summer. In the fall I will head off to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where I will be majoring in journalism and mass communications. In high school, I was involved in a lot of clubs and activities because we had such a small number of students. I participated in volleyball, basketball, cheerleading, one act, quiz bowl, student council, art club, band, teens against drugs and alcohol, journalism, and annual staff, as well as being involved in 4-H.

A couple of activities my internship [includes] are: setting up a local 4-H camp, creating a town brochure, and working with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to get an agricultural museum here in Arnold. Not only do I get to have a valuable internship experience, I have the chance to give back to the amazing little community that has helped raise me. 

Intern Profile: Catherine Jenkinson

Hello, all! My name is Catherine Jenkinson and I am the intern for the Wallace County Foundation for the second year this summer. I am from Wallace County, Kansas and I will be doing my internship at Williams Consulting with my supervisor, Rita Williams, who is a board member of the Wallace County Foundation. My work this summer will not involve accounting, however. Instead, I will be working on a fundraising letter that the foundation sends out in November to approximately seventeen-hundred people. This task will include ordering supplies, printing, cutting, labeling, and finally, stuffing the envelopes. I also will be working on an oral history project that is in the very early stages of development at this point. Furthermore, I will be planning a possible summer trip that the foundation may be putting on for the community, as well as coordinating the foundation files of the board members. I also will be doing other basic secretarial work that the foundation needs.

July News (1)

Week of OC Youth Engagement

Darryl Birkenfeld, Director, Ogallala Commons

Ogallala Commons will be very involved with youth engagement activities this week.  On July 11^th, OC will partner with Texas Rural Innovators to present “Engaging Youth – Securing the Future,” an afternoon forum highlighting youth engagement across the Ogallala Region and beyond, as part of the Texas Economic Development Council Summer Meeting at The Overton Hotel in Lubbock, TX.  The panel on youth engagement is organized by OC Board Member Bobby Gierisch, and presenters include Julie Hodges, OC Education Coordinator and Mary Libby Campbell, OC Board Vice-President.  A number of Community Interns living near Lubbock will attend the session, as well as various OC partners.

The next day, July 12^th, OC will co-present a Training on Youth Engagement &Youth Entrepreneurship in conjunction with the WTAMU Enterprise Center from 9am-4pm at the Enterprise Center in Amarillo, TX.  We will have educators from the Texas Panhandle-South Plains, as OC is starting a new Youth E-Fair in Borger, TX and new Youth Engagement Days in Dumas and Pampa, TX.  We will also be joined by our entrepreneur partners from Colorado, New Mexico, and Kansas. 

OC Partner Community Turns 100

Megan England, OC Intern Coordinator

Local firefighters participate  in a good old-fashioned tug-o-war 
during the Campo Days Centennial Festival 
Firefighters' Muster.

Campo Days Centennial Festival in Campo, Colorado was a huge success! The celebration began on Friday evening, July 6th, with the "Campo's Got Talent" show that lasted nearly three hours and brought out all kinds of local talent! Saturday began early with a fundraising breakfast for the local volunteer fire department and many exciting events continued long into the evening, ending with a fireworks show and a marshmallow roast long after sunset. Some highlights of the day included the parade honoring many of Campo's long-standing citizens, a firefighters' muster, a giant slip'n'slide, and a performance by Ogallala Commons' Andy Wilkinson and his musical compatriots Andy and Alissa Hedges.

Sunday concluded the festival with a community church service in the park and more live music, this time from Paul Estep. After a potluck lunch worthy of a 100-year-birthday, "Campo-dians" past and present slowly went their separate ways, reminded again that "there's no place, any place, quite like this place".

Happy 100th, Campo!

Intern Profile: Shaelynn Wood

I’m Shaelynn Wood and I go to school in Campo, Colorado. I am 14 years old and I’m going into high school as a freshman. I’ve been going to school in Campo since 2nd grade. I have a sister that is about to turn 12 and a brother who is 9. I also have two step-sisters and one step-brother. When I get out of high school, I plan on going into the Navy and serve as a Nurse Practitioner. After serving in the Navy, I am hoping to go to University of Oklahoma. What I love to do most is play sports, basketball being my favorite. I also play volleyball, baseball, track, and swimming. I am also part of 4-H and the Youth Advisory Council (YAC).

I became interested in Ogallala Commons from my friend, now supervisor, Megan England and my superintendent, Mrs. Nikki Johnson. I attended the “Connecting Kids to Community” Megan and Kerra hosted last year and enjoyed knowing that I can do a lot to help with the community too.

Intern Profile: Mayra Gonzalez 

Hi! my name is Mayra Gonzalez...I was born in Mexico and was brought to the United States at eight years old, when my dad brought my whole family here to live with him; and since then, Wilson Texas has become my new home.  I have three older brothers, being the only girl and the baby is always great! The next school year, 2012-2013 I will be a senior in Wilson High School. Currently I am in the Upward Bound Program at Texas Tech University, a program that has brought many friends, growing experiences, and great memories to my life. Through my learning experiences in the Upward Bound program I started to look for more and more opportunities to grow and learn about the world around me and that led me to the Ogallala Commons Internship

This summer...I will be working on creating Science lessons to teach to a few kids in my community at our Summer Academy, and also helping to engage my community in our 100th anniversary this year. I am so excited to finally get an opportunity like this where I will learn so many new things and ways to better prepare myself for the future.

Intern Profile: Greg Laudenslager

My name is Greg and I look forward to another summer in Denver, working for the High Plains Food Coop. I look forward to long days, thunderstorms, bike rides, and most of all…BBQs! [...] So for those of you that did not get to follow my blog last summer, you now know that I am a strong supporter of BBQs and good food. To be specific, I am an advocate for local food that is grown with integrity. I believe passionately in farming methods that work with nature, utilizing the magnificence of its ecological processes as opposed to trying to control them. Permaculture and Biodynamic farming are two of such methods, the principles of which guide much of my daily life. This passion for ecological design has lead me to choose a career as a landscape architect. I am currently working towards a Masters of Landscape Architecture from the University of Colorado-Denver. I am interested in all facets of landscape architecture, but I place particular emphasis on storm water & wastewater management, sustainable agriculture, and edible landscapes.

When I’m not working or studying Permaculture, I enjoy spending time in the mountains. I enjoy skiing, snowboarding, fly-fishing, mountain biking, climbing, backpacking, gardening, and cooking. I love life and I am thankful for everyday. I appreciate the ups and downs of life and I am out to make the most of everyday!

Intern Profile: Joshua Nameth

 My name is Joshua and I'm from Fowler, Colorado which is a small town of about 1,100 people located in the Arkansas River valley of southeastern Colorado.  I'm 17 and have three younger brothers, but one is bigger than me.  My family lives on a farm where we grow produce for a CSA in Fowler and Colorado Springs. We also raise pigs, chickens and have a milk cow.   I like living on a farm and being part of a small town where we know the people that run the businesses. I enjoy mechanical work and fixing things I [also] like to garden and farm and I've been thinking about developing my own business based on the farm.

My internship will be interesting. I will be working for Arkansas Valley Organic Growers which is a co-op that buys produce from farms in southeastern Colorado and sells it to restaurants in Colorado Springs. I will be helping with the produce pickups, deliveries, record-keeping, learning the computer programs and making sure that the records, paperwork and deliveries are correct.