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| Dr. Birkenfeld meets with Peou Lakhana and Kristyn Yepa of the Notah Begah III Foundation |
Ogallala Commons is building some great partnerships to create Community Internships out in New Mexico with Native American groups. On March 8th, OC Director Darryl Birkenfeld met with Peou Lakhana and Kristyn Yepa from the Notah Begay III Foundation based in Santa Ana Pueblo near Bernalillo, New Mexico, a nonprofit focused on combating childhood obesity. Darryl also drove to Bernalillo High School to meet with Community Intern candidate Tenisha Velasquez, accompanied by her mother Jolene and little brother. Tenisha has dreams of becoming a nurse and working with children who have special needs. After high school graduation, she hopes to land an internship working with folks at NB3 Foundation.
It looks like a northern New Mexico nonprofit that is building an amazing local food hub, Taos County Economic Development Corporation, will also be seeking to create 3 Community Internships with Ogallala Commons. So, we are well on our way to achieving 60 interns in 2013.
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| Intern Candidate Tenisha Velasquez with her mother and younger brother |
It looks like a northern New Mexico nonprofit that is building an amazing local food hub, Taos County Economic Development Corporation, will also be seeking to create 3 Community Internships with Ogallala Commons. So, we are well on our way to achieving 60 interns in 2013.
In addition, OC is pleased to announce that CoBank contributed $10,000 sponsorship for our Intern Orientation on May 28-30 at Talon Point in Dumas, Texas. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank is a $90 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states.
Middle School Youth E-Fair A Success
Julie Hodges, OC Education Coordinator
Students taking Career Investigations at Irons Middle School in Lubbock, Texas participated in an Ogallala Commons Youth Entrepreneur Fair on March 7, 2013. Representatives from Plains Capital Bank and Lubbock Christian University SIFE/INACTUS team served as judges for the event.
Students taking Career Investigations at Irons Middle School in Lubbock, Texas participated in an Ogallala Commons Youth Entrepreneur Fair on March 7, 2013. Representatives from Plains Capital Bank and Lubbock Christian University SIFE/INACTUS team served as judges for the event.
The winners of the Fair received cash prizes donated by Plains Capital Bank in Lubbock.
1st: Easton Verkamp
2nd: Maggie Garcia & Mckenzie Pierson
3rd: Cameron Edens, Creighton Alejandro, Andrew Worthy
Ogallala Commons Attends College Conference on Cooperatives
Megan England, OC Intern Coordinator
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| Participants and Sponsors at the CCOC Megan: 2nd from bottom, 2nd from right, Justin: 6th from bottom, 2nd from left (Photo courtesy of National Farmers Union) |
On March 15-17, more than 100 students from 16 states (and Canada) gathered in Minneapolis for the National Farmers Union 2013 College Conference on Cooperatives. Ogallala Commons’ Megan England and Justin Trammell both had the opportunity to attend.
Some highlights of the weekend from Justin’s guest blogs on the NFU website included a visit to the headquarters of the nation’s
leading cooperative: CHS, Inc., and tours of various local co-ops.
“[The CCOC] is an opportunity for Farmers Union and the cooperative community to teach young people about cooperative business principles and history,” said NFU President Roger Johnson, “to introduce them to a wide variety of co-ops, and to show them that there are great careers in strong, ethical and community-minded businesses.”
