By Megan England, Youth Engagement Program Coordinator & Regional Coordinator
I used to think my purpose would be defined by a series of big moments.
Then I became a teacher.
And I found that some of the most purposeful work I’ve ever done?
It happened in a small school.
In a small town.
In my own small corner of the world.
And I found that for me, what feels most like purpose is not in big moments, but in a vast accumulation of small ones.
Small moments where my task-oriented self was reminded: connection comes before content. Small moments when a struggling student finally lit up with understanding. Small moments when I read the sticky-note thank-you on my desk, or let them eat their mac and cheese in class, or told them about some wild news. Or saw them present the project that ignited their passion.
Three years is an ocean of small moments. I’m thankful for every single one of them—and the amazing community that made them possible.
Which leads me to a slightly bigger moment: my journey as an educator is going a new direction…or maybe just coming full circle. In July, I rejoined the absolutely incredible team at Ogallala Commons full time, as the Youth Engagement Program Coordinator!
When I first began working with OC almost 15 years ago, it was a small nonprofit with a big passion for rural communities…and I knew I had found my people. Since then, OC hugely shaped my life through internships, mentorships, and friendships—and while my career journey has taken some amazing turns, I can’t tell you how excited I am that my path has come back here, to leadership and entrepreneurship development for Ogallala Commons.
If I could have dreamed a job that let me live out my purpose while building a life in the home of my heart and using my skills and passions – it would have looked a lot like this.
So here’s to the moments—old and new.
