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.

Ogallala Commons Newsletter: June (Issue 3)

Intern Profile: Elisa Elizondo

My name is Elisa Elizondo, I'm 20, and I have finally decided that I will transfer to Prescott College in Arizona in the fall as a junior. I lived in Fort Worth all my life up to now and went to TCU for two years. Home used to be all the way at the end University Drive and now it's far, far away and about to get farther.

My internship is in Amarillo, TX at the Wesley Community Center and the Maverick Boys and Girls Club. Both aim to establish community gardens that will provide food for the people they serve. Wesley serves as a place where people (mostly children and the elderly) come to learn and have fun. The Maverick Club serves only children and is pretty much the same thing on a larger scale.

Most of the volunteers I work with are in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade and they absolutely love being out in the garden and learning about it. At this point both gardens only grow annual vegetables, but in addition to caring for it (not an easy job with all this wind!), my job is to ensure more perennial and long term edible shrubs, rain catchment, and composting, and community support are in place to sustain the garden when I leave.


Intern Profile: Tara Fox

My name is Tara Fox and I am serving in my community of Plainview, Texas this summer. I have been living in Plainview for almost 7 years now. I have completed my undergrad as well as my master’s degree at Wayland Baptist University. This summer I am taking on the task of creating a financial banking and education curriculum geared towards lower income and unbanked individuals and families in the community. The end goal is to provide information and education to break the poverty cycle in families to give future generations a chance at something better.

We are also working on beginning an IDA (Individual Development Accounts) program for women who are or have been in a domestic family violence situation. By providing a program that will not only assist them in meeting a goal, whether that be owning a home, going back to school or starting a business; but also teach them how to make a budget and stick to it; we are taking away a piece of power and control that this family has been under. Economic abuse is one of the main reasons why women stay in abusive relationships for as long as they do. Most of these women were never allowed to work, or never able to so teaching them some basics is exactly what they need.

I believe in this project and am so honored to be a part of this opportunity to change families’ lives not only right now but for future generations as well.


Intern Profile: Larissa Gardner

Hello,
I'm Larissa Gardner, an Ogallala Intern working in Nazareth, TX. I live in Amarillo and have two daughters (12 and 19) who live very nearby, so I can see them as often as I want to. My parents grew up in Happy, Texas, and I spent summers in the Texas Panhandle helping my grandfather on his farm. What I really love about the program is the opportunity to work in my field before I graduate with my Masters' Degree. I feel very lucky!

My main project is an exhibit entitled “A Woman's Touch.” It celebrates the Benedictine Sisters who taught in Nazareth from the early 1900s until 1990 as well as the Sisters who received vocations and left Nazareth for the St. Scholastica Monastery in Arkansas. I've done research on the History of Nazareth and the History of Supreme Court decisions on Separation between Church and State. I've also interviewed Sisters who are still in the area and have gathered stories from many of those they taught! The exhibit is planned for seven panels and will be presented at the Nazareth German Sausage Festival on July 9th.

Other portions of my internship center around the Cemetery's Oratory Index and map as well as production of an exhibit book for “A Woman's Touch” and “Pioneer Pastors” exhibits to be used on future displays as a takeaway. I am also following up this summer on work I did last summer to help get the Holy Family Cemetery designated as a Historical Site so they can get a Historical Marker.

Ogallala Commons Newsletter: June (Issue 2)

Color Us Blue (as in Caring)!
Fr. Ken Keller, OC Intern Supervisor

As an overall group, the 2011 Ogallala Commons Community Interns are compassionate! At least that is what a summary of the “Colors Test” indicated when the individual results were tabulated together as a group.

Recall from your Intern Orientation a few weeks ago, that a Personality Quiz called “True Colors” was taken by the Interns and 22 returned their results for a collective look at their “intern-ablity”. In this particular personality assessment tool, those whose primary color is Blue are compassionate, while Oranges are courageous, Greens are conceptual, and Golds are detail-oriented.

Not enough information came in to attempt to answer fully the question “What personality type is most common in a Community Intern?” However, 2011 Interns whose primary personality color is Blue are more noticeable (37% in the group rank it as their primary color), while the group’s other three personality colors are equally placed at 21% each. Nationally, when one looks at an average for all groups, each color shows up at a 25% occurrence in a group.

When one looks at the collective results, from intern’s most-to-least ranking of colors, one can picture a “bell curve” type of perspective on color. Thus, for the highest color – Blue -- 9 rank it first while 5 rank it last. For the lowest color – Gold – 5 rank it first while 8 rank it least. Green and Orange seem to be the balancing factors for our group.

However, the True Colors test helps interns not only by understanding their strengths, but also their weaknesses. When consideration is give to the last place ranking of a color, 36 percent of our 2011 Interns listed Gold as their least color. This can indicate that our interns are not as “practical”, “managerial”, or “detail- oriented” as the average group of persons.

In summary, here are some generalizations about our 2011 Interns as a group (not each individual). They are caring with a strong desire to make a contribution to society and help others. They are enthusiastic, communicative, and sympathetic.

A side of their “group personality” that might be worked on more during their internships would be: maintaining a schedule, doing more organizing, and making efforts to leave their community or organization in August with more established and practical solutions. Thus, the True Colors Personality Assessment gives us another level of insight into the gifts offered and the challenges faced by Community Interns.


Learning About Natural Resources...Attend Field Days
Across the Great Plains region, interns, supervisors, and interested citizens can learn more about our natural resources by attending a Field Day. Throughout this summer, on any given week or weekend, an agency or group of organizations is conducting some sort of Field Day. These events usually occur in the morning and end with lunch. It's a great opportunity to get outdoors and learn about wildlife, plants, water, and soils in a hands-on way, with the instruction of local experts. Remember, stewarding natural resources is one of the key skills for a Community Intern, and attending a Field Day may be your best chance to engage in this work. Upland Field Day at Dimmitt Unit of the Playa Lakes WMA in Castro County on Saturday, June 25th from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

Down in the Texas Panhandle, there are two Field Days coming up. There will be an Upland Field Day at the Dimmitt Unit of the Playa Lakes WMA, 4 miles west of Dimmitt, TX in Castro County on Saturday, June 25th from 9:00 a.m. to noon. This event is free and everyone is invited, but they would like folks to RSVP (in order to have plenty of bottled water and information packets on hand that day). We would love to have as many hunters, landowners, and youth as possible (boys and girls…the future of land and wildlife in our states). Another outdoor event will be held on Saturday, July 9th, with a Playa Field Tour at the Playa Classroom in Nazareth, TX from 8:30am-11am. You can learn about amphibians, playa plants, birds, and soils at this gathering. When it is over, you can attend the Nazareth German Festival, and enjoy a delicious German sausage dinner for $10 per person. If you are interested in either Field Day, please contact Darryl Birkenfeld (806-945-2255).


Intern Profile: Karen Bone
Hi all,
I am originally from South Texas, went to Sam Houston State University in East Texas, and currently live and work in West Texas. All this moving has made me appreciate the diversity and size of our state, and I like to joke that I have lived in 3 different states since the regions all have their own particular personality and the distance between them is so large. It takes me a good eight hours to visit where I grew up. In my spare time I read a lot of nonfiction, run a discussion group called Feminist of Lubbock, hike and bike with my partner, and play fetch with my extremely energetic two year old lab.

For my internship I am currently working at Sherry Pullen’s organic farm and, later in the summer, I will be teaching kids a little about food and nutrition. So far I’ve learned about picking vegetables, hoeing, laying down mulch, making organic pesticides, and maintaining moisture in the garden. I’m looking forward to learning more about butchering chickens, planting, putting the implements on the tractor and driving it, and picking fruit in the orchard, to name a few. It’s been interesting because while we have a rough work plan in place, so much of the work is dictated by the weather conditions and nature in general. My favorite activity thus far has been picking the vegetables, especially the root ones like beets, radishes, and onions.


Intern Profile: Savanna Bragg
Hey! I’m Savanna Bragg. I am 17 years old, and just recently graduated from Tulia High School this May. In the fall I will attend the University of North Texas in Denton in pursuit of a minor in Photojournalism and my degree in Public Relations or Marketing. I am passionate about photography, I actually own my own photography business, SavannaBPhotography. You can check out my website at savannabragg.smugmug.com. My other interests include running cross country, working out, motocross, journalism, traveling, and meeting new people. I am a very social person, and an entrepreneur, but I am probably also one of the biggest procrastinators you will ever meet.

This summer I am interning under Patsy Hooten, who is the owner and editor of the Swisher County News. Most of my internship will be working here at the newspaper office, but I will also be working with the high school cross country team. I will be helping with the Jr. High and High School Cross Country training/camps throughout the summer. I have been part of the student newspaper, The Sting, for two years now. This past school year I was student editor, which led me to being interested in fulfilling my internship at the newspaper office. Throughout the internship I will be writing weekly articles, taking photos, editing articles, and putting the newspaper together on Adobe InDesign. Last year was my first year to work for Ogallala Commons, and I am very thankful for the opportunity to be an intern this year as well. I am a bit of a city girl, but my internships have drawn me to appreciate the rural community assets.


Intern Profile: Samantha Carter
My name is Samantha Carter. I am a transplant here in Tucumcari, New Mexico. I moved here about two years ago and I plan on being here at least one more year. Currently, I am a student at Mesaland’s Community College and am doing an internship at the Tucumcari, Historical Museum for nine weeks of this summer.

During my internship at the museum I will be getting the chance to catalog as many of the items in the museum that I can get done. First I had to help design a system in order to catalog all the different artifacts properly without doubling up on the items, confusing the numbering system, or losing any of the important information that is part of the history of all the artifacts.

The Museum is a great place to intern at. I am really enjoying all the people that come in and the different stories I am privileged to hear. The other day I met a military boy who was traveling through New Mexico on his temporary leave because his best friend in the Army always told him about how great New Mexico really is. His friend died tragically in the military tank right in front of his vehicle during their last mission. The boy who died had no family so his friend had brought the remains of his things to the museum to donate in his memory. The boy’s boots, knife, and military papers were all that there was to show he even existed and gave all he had for this country. It was heartwarming and heart breaking all in the same emotion. I am truly lucky to have this experience.

Ogallala Commons Newsletter: June (Issue 1)

Tools of Your Internship: How to use the Work Plan & Time Sheet
By Darryl Birkenfeld, Director, Ogallala Commons

Now that your internship is off to a great start, interns and supervisors might wonder, “What is the purpose of the work plan?” Even though interns have hit the ground running with 3 or 4 projects, the work plan is still a handy tool—something that you want to take a look at least once a week for the following reasons.

First of all, your work plan should list a weekly schedule of activities from now until the end of your internship. It’s a reminder that what you are working on is not a sprint, but an 8-9 week marathon. Some activities will require a day or two to complete, but your main internship objectives need more time and planning to bring them to completion. Having a work plan will help you to divide up a big objective into weekly increments, so that by the end of your internship, you will have done enough work to wrap it up.

In addition, the work plan offers a way for you and your advisor to check in on the status of projects and activities—to discuss these projects and to make adjustments. It may happen that a task listed on your work plan can’t be completed in the week when it is written down. Reviewing the work plan allows you to move the activities to different weeks. Also, sometimes projects are finished sooner than planned, and once again, you can fill in your internship week with tasks that are listed further down the schedule on your work plan, so that you make effective use of your internship hours.

So this week, take time to look over your work plan with your supervisor, and use the plan as a gauge for what has been accomplished in your internship, and a planning guide as to how to proceed over the coming weeks.

Now, here are a few reminders on your time sheet. First of all, be sure to write down your internship hours and work description on a weekly basis. If you wait until the end of the third week when the first timesheet is due to send in for your stipend check, it will be very difficult to remember what you did in the first and second week. So again, start keeping your timesheet now, following the sample that is available in the Intern Guidebook. Also, you are to submit your timesheet on the Friday of your third and six week of internship (unless you are doing a 4-week internship), and the third timesheet when you have completed all the products required at the end of your internship. Finally, you will need to allow 8-12 days for your timesheet to be processed and to receive your stipend checks.


And the Blogging has Begun…
Julie Hodges, Education Coordinator, Ogallala Commons

Most of the 33 OC Community Interns posted their introductory blog on Friday, June 10th, providing great photographs and a nice introduction to themselves and the various projects they are working on.

Ogallala Commons would like to invite anyone interested in learning about grassroots community projects ranging from food bank gardens to hosting 800 bicyclists in Kansas to check out our intern blogs and leave comments to encourage, advise or ask questions of an Intern.
This year we have 6 OC Community Intern Blogs. They can be found at:
http://ogallalaintern1.blogspot.com/
http://ogallalaintern2.blogspot.com/
http://ogallalaintern3.blogspot.com/
http://ogallalaintern4.blogspot.com/
http://ogallalaintern5.blogspot.com/
http://ogallalaintern6.blogspot.com/

To leave a comment for an intern, simply click on the word “comments” at the bottom of the post you wish to comment on. A “Post a Comment” Box will appear for you to leave a message in. Once you finish writing your message, you must choose and option from the “Comment as” drop down menu located just below the “Post a Comment” box. If you do not have a profile, simply choose “anonymous” If you choose anonymous, you may want to include your name in the text you have written so the intern will know you are.

Intern Profile: High School Experiences Provide Background for Internship
By Catherine Jenkinson, Community Intern

This summer, I will be working for Ogallala Commons through my local community foundation. I will be working on fundraising, mailing lists, research, planning a community Christmas party, and starting an oral history project dealing with coyote hunting. Coyote hunting was a 'sport' very popular in the sixties and seventies in rural Kansas. 'Hunters' attached special boxes to old pick-ups to hold their greyhounds trained to track coyotes. When a coyote was spotted, a lever inside the truck was cranked, allowing the greyhounds to attack. Though this is widely known in my community, no one has ever documented its history or interviewed the 'hunters' themselves.
I am very excited for what I will learn this summer and I'm sure that my eyes will be opened to a huge amount of possibilities and opportunities. In my school, I am involved in several leadership organizations including 4H, Peer Helpers, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Teen Leaders, Wallace County High School Leadership Team, National Honor Society and Student Council. I hope that my experience with working with others has prepared me to intern in this job well. I look forward to a great summer full of great opportunity!

Ogallala Commons Internships Benefitting Greeley County
Christy Hopkins, Director, Greeley County Community Development Above: Greeley County interns at their finest during the Bike Across Kansas stop in Tribune

Greeley County Community Development is fortunate to host two Ogallala Commons Interns this summer. Shancee Howell, an agri-business graduate student at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico, returned for a second-year internship. She has been joined by Katy Reynolds, a mass communications major completing her undergraduate degree at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, Oklahoma.

The foundation of the Ogallala Commons internship program is engagement in the local community. While no two internships are the same, each is focused on providing the interns with a deeper understanding and appreciation for their community and the assets that make it a special place. Undoubtedly, Shancee and Katy (and all other Ogallala Commons interns) will end their internships with a greater understanding of their local communities and the hands, hearts, and minds that make it work.

Katy and Shancee bring intelligence, drive, and a fresh perspective to our community. They tackle projects with energy and enthusiasm, whether it’s setting up a lemonade stand at the Biking Across Kansas event, introducing trivia on the Facebook page, designing a community brochure, assisting with the adult co-ed softball league, brainstorming interior décor for Tribune’s community-owned theater, or scoping out ideas for a complete website re-design. Our office is enhanced by their talents and passion; the community benefits from their creative ideas and new approach to old challenges.

As the local supervisor for our Ogallala Commons interns, I am constantly amazed by what these two young women see and how they respond to their experiences in the community. Hearing discussions after returning from an errand, reading their weekly blogs, and asking for their feedback is eye-opening. Their reflections on the community, the talented and friendly people who live here, the ongoing projects and the opportunities to get involved are insightful and thorough, and they help me to see and understand potential areas for improvement in communication, beautification, and additional opportunities to further our mission of stability and growth for Greeley County.

Intern Profile: Katy Reynolds
Hello! I’m Katy Reynolds, and I’m from Tribune, Kansas. I am finishing my bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications with a minor in English at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, Oklahoma. I am on the rodeo team at Northwestern and I am also the editor of the university’s newspaper. I will graduate in December and hope to move on to completing a master’s degree.

I found out about Ogallala Commons from Christy Hopkins and the Community Development office in Tribune. There was an advertisement in Tribune’s newspaper for the summer internship that Ogallala Commons and the Community Development were providing, so I called Christy, the director of Greeley County Community Development, and got some information about the internship. I was really interested, so I logged on to the Ogallala Commons website and learned what the organization was all about.

I expect to gain more knowledge in my field of study, Mass Communication, and how my major can be used to help rural communities. I really love and enjoy Mass Communications and the different facets of the field, but I also really love living in a rural community, so I hope that this internship can help me find possibilities to use my major to benefit a small town, as well as create venues and opportunities to work in Tribune and rural communities in the future.

In my spare time, I like to rodeo and work with horses and help run cattle. I am newly married, and I also enjoy doing things on the farm with my husband. I enjoy travelling, being involved in the church, and spending time with family.

Intern Profile: Shancee Howell Hello again,
I am Shancee Howell, I am originally from Greeley County, and I very excited to be back for the summer. I received my bachelors in Animal Science for Oklahoma Panhandle State in Goodwell, Oklahoma with a minor in biology, and I continued my education at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. I am currently working on my Masters in Ag Business. I absolutely love the land of enchantment, but my roots brought me back to my rural community.

After being away, I realize how nice it is to come back where everyone knows you, and where you do not have to worry about locking your vehicles. I am truly blessed to call Tribune home.
I was fortunate enough to hold the Ogallala Commons Internship last summer, and loved it. When I found out there were offering it again, I jumped at the opportunity. The people I would with (Christy Hopkins, Carol Miles, and Katy Reynolds) are absolutely amazing, and this year we are privileged to have another intern in the office. I am excited to work with Katy, she is fun, creative, knowledgeable, and brings lots of energy to the office.

Working here last summer really broadened my horizon; I realized just how much this office does for our community. I am very thrilled to be a part of it again. This kind of work is not something I am used to, I come from a cattle background, and it is neat to be involved in a different field of work.

Spare time, well [it] appears I do not have a lot of it. However, I spend most of time dealing with horses, cattle, or family. My whole life has been evolved around rodeo, so it is kind of my building block. In fact, that is how I have paid for my college career is through rodeo scholarships. I rope, tie goats, and run barrels. In the past, I have qualified for both the National High School Finals, the College National Finals, along with the Kansas Professional Rodeo Association Finals. When I am not in the office, I am assisting my brother. He rides several colts, and runs cattle on the side. I am a very family oriented and enjoy spending time with them. I am looking forward to a wonderful summer :)

Ogallala Commons Newsletter: May 2011

Above: OC Community Interns at their Orientation in Nazareth, TX
Back row (l-r): Cara Young, Liz Hill, Weston Nieman, Briony Haachten, Reba Garrison, Greg Laudenslager, Tara Fox, Larissa Gardner, James Coffee. Middle row (l-r): Elisa Elizondo, Karen Bone, Kristin Bingham, Samantha Carter, Heather Mitchell, Catherine Jenkinson, DeLesa Villa, Kara Lacey, Michelle Wait, Aleece Methvin. Front row (l-r): Megan England, Adan Pena, Sarah Reeves, Raylyn Bowers, and Teresa Gonzales
(Interns not pictured: Delissa Villa and Savanna Bragg)
Photo courtesy of Julie Hodges, OC Education Coordinator

Intern Orientations: Starting off on the Right Foot
by Darryl Birkenfeld

After 8 months of partner prospecting, intern recruitment, and organizing, Ogallala Commons has launched over 30 Community Internships in the past two weeks. Successful internships require an orientation, and because of the size, number, and diverse schedules of our interns…we held orientations in Kansas and Texas.

On March 24, I traveled to Tribune, Kansas to give an orientation to Shancee Howell and Katie Reynolds, their supervisor, Christy Hopkins, and two supervisors from Wallace County, Kansas. On March 25th, I drove over to Great Bend, Kansas with OC Board Member Tom Giessel, to conduct an orientation with two interns who are students at Barton County Community College: Mary Bitter and Shauna Koester. Both of these women were bringing their spring semester-long internships to a close, but both are interested in doing a fuller Community Internship in 2012.

A grand two days of Orientation was also held in Nazareth, Texas on June 2-3 for 26 Community Interns and 28 supervisors and community leaders from Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, and Colorado. This particular gathering featured a Bus Tour on June 3rd, which traveled to a nearby booming agricultural-based business, Soil Mender Products, LP, to the cities of Silverton and Quitaque, Texas, and to Caprock Canyons State Park. The tour helped interns to enjoy more one-on-one visiting, to visualize the unique sense of place they are gifted with, and to learn information about wind energy, nonprofit work, and additional tools for exploring their communities and potential careers.

Each of the three Orientations was enhanced and supported by a fantastic Intern Resource Book that Julie Hodges and I designed for Ogallala Commons. But the most important outcome from the Orientations is a chance for interns to meet, get acquainted, learn helpful information and insights (like their Personality Type), and to recognize that they are part of an amazing program. Clearly, this group of interns is highly accomplished, talented, and capable of returning tremendous value to their communities and institutions. Community Interns are truly our commonwealth, and I hope you will follow the weekly OC Newsletters during June and July, to learn more about each one of these 32 interns.

Above: Interns on the Bus Tour at Caprock Canyons State Park

A Place of Power: An Intern’s Perspective on the 2011 Intern Orientation
By Megan England
While attending the intern orientation and bus tour on June 2nd and 3rd in Nazareth, Texas, I was constantly reminded of one of my favorite quotes:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” –Margaret Meade

It was thrilling to see interns and supervisors sharing ideas, laughs, and conversation. Throughout the two days I spent with over forty interns and supervisors, I was struck by the potential our group has to change the world. We come from at least four different states, representing over twenty communities. We are high school students, college students, graduate students, educators, community leaders, business people, lawyers… and the list goes on. Even more thrilling however, was the passion visible in each of those attending the orientation.

The work of Ogallala Commons and Ogallala Commons interns is proof that small groups of people with passion have great power to change communities and I am looking forward to seeing what the future holds for the 2011 interns and their communities.

Good luck to you all!

Intern Profile: Cara Young
By Cara Young

The High Plains Food Bank is well known for their can drives, but did you know that they also have a large garden that contributes to their food production? I will spend my summer as an intern in this garden with Marc Jansing and Morgan Dezendorf of the food bank. Marc and Morgan have created quite a garden which contributed over 20,000 pounds of produce to the food bank last year! But they didn't achieve this by themselves. Volunteers are crucial to the garden's success. They not only help increase production numbers, but their participation encourages others in the community to share in the education and awareness of something that many in the nation have become far removed from, the ability to cultivate your own produce. With effort and education, we can all produce delicious, fresh foods that can virtually go straight from our yards to our plates, and the food bank garden is the perfect place to learn these processes for yourself while helping to provide nutritionally valuable food for others. You can learn to compost, weed, trellis, plant from seed or seedling, identify beneficial and harmful pests all while getting to spend some time outside getting a tan and making a positive influence in your community. The garden is a resource for food production and education, and its free. Workshops are offered in the garden on a variety of topics. Last year the topics ranged from staring a garden to cooking classes, and this year there will be so many more! I have learned so much in the short amount of time I have been there and I am looking forward to the many other things there are to learn and what I personally will be contributing to my community as a result.


Intern Profile: Local Foods
By Kristin Bingham

Above Left: Apple Blossom Festival at the Orchard.
(Photo courtesy of Susan Britts)
Above Right: Apple Country Orchards Information

This summer, I am working as a local foods community intern for the Ogallala Commons. I have had the supreme enjoyment of working with the Commons over the last two years on various projects and events and am so excited to continue promoting local farmers and producers in the Lubbock community.

I began my internship in late April working from home to develop a new website and update content for Hi-Plains Apple Country Orchard of Idalou, TX. Apple Country has been owned and operated by Cal and Susan Brints for over thirty years and is a wonderful place for families and friend to gather and celebrate the changing seasons. Not only does Apple Country offer a wide variety of apples and apple products, they have also begun a community supported agriculture (CSA) program this year. Apple Country also participates in four farmer’s markets in and around the Lubbock area, including one hosted at the Orchard on Saturdays. The Orchard is also an amazing place for educational tours and special events including weddings. During this first facet of my summer-long internship, I have focused on updating and migrating content from their current website to a new site that provides a very navigable interface as well as creating a unique Facebook page to increase visibility in the Lubbock area. The Brints and Apple Country Orchards are very involved in the local foods movement in Lubbock, and provide many services to serve our community including Farm-to-School and Farm-to-Work programs. The Farm-to-School program has been an incredible success in the Lubbock school districts, and I will be working later this summer to develop an extension that will serve the Nazareth, Hart and Olton school districts. You can view the work I’ve been doing at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Idalou/Apple-Country-Orchards/145961765437488
http://applecountryorchards.wordpress.com/

Next week, I begin the next portion of my internship, working with Lubbock producer Dr. Ellen Peffley Harp of From the Garden to help harvest and distribute fruits and vegetables to customers in Lubbock. I will also be working to help create a “local foods” blog for the Commons that will showcase various Lubbock producers and what is available around the South Plains.

Intern Profile: Megan England
By Megan England

My name is Megan England and I am a senior at Campo High School in the beautiful little town of Campo, Colorado. I’m part rancher, part emergency rescuer’s daughter, and part teacher’s kid—usually a bit of a crazy combination!

I first heard of Ogallala Commons as a shy seventh grader through a community service group at my school. That group (the Youth Advisory Council or “YAC”) and Ogallala Commons have opened some amazing doors of opportunity in my life and I can’t tell you how honored I am to continue working with them this year!

Through those venues, I’ve traveled/spoken in seven states, met hundreds of great people, spoken in front of hundreds of people, learned how to conduct oral history interviews, interned for a professional film crew, helped to plan community events, hosted children’s leadership camps, participated in numerous service projects, led tours, built websites, and most importantly gained an even greater passion for rural communities!

This is my third year working as an intern and I love it. This summer, I get the pleasure of bugging all the interns about writing for the newsletter, blogging, attending intern events, getting the intern equipment and a variety of generally fun stuff! In my own community, I will be hosting another leadership camp, and volunteering with our city clerk by helping create a community map and updating our town’s website.

I am really excited for this summer’s internship, and even more excited about learning what all the other interns are doing in their communities. Like everyone else, I will blogging every week, so you can keep up with me at http://ogallalaintern6.blogspot.com/, as I hope to keep up with many of you!