Teresa Gonzales - Final Blog

As this internship comes to a close, I can say that this was a very rewarding experience that comes once in a lifetime.  It was a positive and focused environment and the people were great to work with.  My journey began after meeting the Ogallala Commons teaching team at Oak Grove Elementary in Brownfield, Texas in November 2010.  I was very impressed by the presentation but intrigued by how powerful the day was mainly due to great planning and "partnering" with the Terry County Extension agent and the South Plains UWCD.  Schools welcome guest speakers but it is rare to have the opportunity not only to learn the crucial lessons at hand (importance of water conservation and playas)  but  to give the students an opportunity to apply their new found knowledge and then extend on that knowledge  through the outdoor experience.  In a visit to a local playa, students are encouraged to ask questions about the natural world around them and how it applies to our community. Students were excited about learning and I was amazed at the knowledge acquired by the students in one short day.  I believe that "partnering" made all the difference.  I knew that day that I needed to know more about Ogallala Commons and their vision statement.  I was then invited to attend a teacher training/land owner meeting in January 2011.  Again, I left feeling like I needed to learn more about Ogallala Commons and how it applies to me.  Later, I attended a meeting in Abernathy where I met a special group of people who supervise interns.  This is a dedicated group of professionals who have a passion for community involvement and understand the impact that mentoring makes.  It was at this meeting that I got a better, more clear understanding of how broad the vision statement is.   The goal is to inspire our youth to get an education and return in the future to work and live in their own community.  We need to retain our talent and promote our area for future generations.  This can and will happen when we allow students to start thinking early about the endless possibilities our own communities hold.  It was about this time that I realized everything is interconnected and most likely a slow process.  This is also where I met Martha Kunkel, Director of Grants and Resource Development in Odessa, Texas.  Martha is a super lady and an important contact as she agreed to assist me when I expressed an  interest in the grant writing process.  Finally in June I attended the intern orientation in Nazareth, Texas.  This two-day training gives interns and supervisors an opportunity to  meet, discuss, and fellowship with other interns.  It included a bus tour of the Caprock where we met new people in new places along the way.  (Silverton, Texas is an amazing place to visit.)  My internship was scheduled to begin in the Fall with Darryl Birkenfeld , Executive Director of Ogallala Commons and Julie Hodges, Education Director as my mentors.  Our goal is to reach 24 schools and 1500 students in learning about High Plains water thru science, creative writing, art and history.  The teaching sessions were well planned by our education director.  We had four rotating groups including a visit to a local playa for the outdoor experience.  I had the honor of making  presentations and was also responsible for our blogs.  I also participated in the fifth annual "Youth Engagement Day" in Plainview, Texas.  "Growing Entrepreneurs Building Businesses" was the focus of this event.  This was time well-spent for tomorrow's community,state, and county leaders.  These students were challenged to ponder ideas based on real-life business owners' success stories.  I was impressed with the number of city officials and business owners who came together to make a positive impact on their youth.  The students were welcomed by Mayor John Anderson who was pleased to have us come and explore ideas with local business owners.  After our keynote address given by M.C. Montelongo, students were divided into investigations teams and conducted interviews at assigned businesses.  I was very impressed with  Perry Collins who bought a historical marker building and transformed it into a building that better fits today's needs.  The students of Plainview and Hart, Texas were then challenged to identify their community's needs and develop a business plan to enter in the Youth Entrepreneur Fair in November.  With the top prize of $1,000, the students understand that Ogallala Commons and other sponsors are working diligently to create opportunities for all to succeed.  Partnering  makes all the difference in making an impact on today's youth.  I watched as city officials, educators, professionals, business owners and mentors came together to make a positive difference in the lives of students on the High Plains.