As I wrap up my second internship through Ogallala Commons, there are so many great things to look back on. In just three short months, I feel like I have accomplished so much. I was able to be a part of so many different activities this summer, and my eyes were opened to a number of new experiences. I have grown as an individual and developed many skills that I would not have without this summer internship.
Working for the community this summer, I was introduced to some jobs that I was familiar from last year as well as some new ones. Swift Kicks, which is our town’s weekly news, was something that I have been doing for over a year now, and I have gotten used to doing it. I have learned a lot about my community and it has kept me updated on what is going on in the lives of many people. This summer I also took on a new task related to Swift Kicks. I started a Facebook page for the news and started posting three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
For the first couple of weeks I helped with our church’s Vacation Bible School. I did many different jobs to help out the ladies that were in charge. I made signs for decorations, printed labels for the name tags and put them on each name tag, and made a master schedule.
Another time consuming job was the writing task I took on to document the growth of our town over the last ten years. It took many hours and lots of investigation and interviewing. I have the articles complete, and they will be used in swift kicks to share them with the community.
Over the course of the summer, some of my hours were built up taking care of a garden for our local food pantry for families in need. Darryl Birkenfeld and I planted the garden one evening and I helped water it each week. We planted a variety of vegetable including squash, carrots, green beans, and tomatoes. The produce is used for the local food pantry that is open every two weeks.
Overall, my internship through Ogallala Commons this summer has made a tremendous impact on my life, my views, my knowledge, and my skills. I want to thank Ogallala Commons and everyone who gave me this opportunity to grow and learn this summer.
