June News

The Great Internship Launch

2013 Interns at the Orientation near Channing, TX

Ogallala Commons held its 2013 Community Intern Orientation at Talon Point Retreat near Channing, TX, on May 28-30.  In total, 35 interns and 30 intern supervisors learned tools and skills to enhance their work, while enjoying plenty of free time to network and get to know one another during meals. 

Our 2013 Internships are being conducted in five states—Kansas (6), Colorado (7), New Mexico (4), Nebraska (2), Texas (39).  In addition to interns hailing from these five Plains states, we also have an intern from Oregon, and 2 from Arizona, plus we have an intern who goes to college at University of North Carolina and another in Pennsylvania.  Our entire intern cohort consists of 43 females and 15 males.

Interns and supervisors discuss ways to creatively conquer
roadblocks during the internship process.

This was by far our largest Orientation.  Our OC staff managed things well, but we could not have pulled it off without our five Board Members and three Advisers who attended.  We were also fortunate to have Sherry Kunka (Sharyland Utilities), Andrew Jacob and Sarah Tyree (CoBank), and William Nelson (the CHS Foundation and CHS, Inc) attending and presenting at our Orientation.

35 interns and 30 supervisors attended Orientation.

Here is a testimony sent by one of our South Central Texas interns, Thomas Schroeder from San Marcos: 

"I just wanted to say thank you for allowing me to be a part of Ogallala Commons intern orientation week…I was not sure what to expect from the week and there were many great moments highlighted by so many of the great individuals that were in attendance. I could not be more proud or more excited to be a part of such a positive, proactive community building organization... Thank you for your vision and the wonderful opportunity you have placed before me, it is going to be a great summer!”

OC Connects with Native American Partners

NB3 interns and supervisors take time to learn about their
personalities at the orientation on June 5th.

This summer, six OC Community Internships have been created with Native American youth and adults in Colorado and New Mexico, thanks to partnerships with First Nations Development Institute in Longmont, Colorado, Taos County EDC in Taos, NM, and Notah Begay III Foundation (NB3) in Bernalillo, NM. 

On June 5, OC Director Darryl Birkenfeld and Fr. Ken Keller traveled to Santa Ana Pueblo to conduct a Mini-Orientation for Carlos Latoma and Nikki Tulley at NB3 office.  These two OC Interns are part of a cohort of 10 interns (see photo) working on projects this summer such as a Community Health Summit for 300 participants. 

2013 Notah Begay III Foundation Interns

In 2005, 4-time PGA TOUR winner Notah Begay III (who grew up in Albuquerque, NM), the only full-blooded Native American on the PGA TOUR, founded the Notah Begay III Foundation. Throughout his career, Notah has been a committed advocate for the health and well-being of Native American youth and their communities. He formed the NB3 Foundation to use sports and wellness as a means for social change and to fight the epidemic of type 2 diabetes.

Based at the Santa Ana Pueblo in New Mexico, the NB3 Foundation operates soccer, golf, health and youth leadership programming at San Felipe Pueblo, in the greater Albuquerque area and other tribal communities in New Mexico, including the Navajo Nation community of To’hajiilee. Beginning in 2009 the Foundation has expanded its impact to tribal communities nationwide through strategic grant-making and education and outreach through soccer and diabetes prevention education.

Building Youth Entrepreneur Resources

Three high school teachers who have worked for years on OC
E-fairs attended the workshop: Rachel Gonzalez (Dimmit, TX),
Debbie Raymond (Plainview, TX), and Rebecca Cobb (Tulia, TX)

Even in the summer months, OC is busy planning and educating to open more possibilities for youth entrepreneurs.  On June 12, Darryl Birkenfeld and Kade Wilcox gave an hour-long presentation to area teachers at a “Creating Entrepreneurs” Workshop conducted Region 16 ESC, West Texas Center for Economic Education, and West Texas A&M University. 

OC is also helping to fund a Community Internship for Lauren Long.  Lauren’s main project is creating a Community Leadership Program for 6 rural counties in western Nebraska that form Sandhills RC&D region (www.sandhillsrcd.org).  In addition, Lauren will also help OC to plan a Youth Engagement Day in Mullen, NE in mid-October.