2021 Rural Fellows—Imperial

Isaac Archuleta & Joel Kreifels Author

08/13/2021 Added

26 Plays

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Student and Community Fellows talk about the community development projects they worked on in Imperial, Nebraska during Summer 2021.

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[00:00:00.420](upbeat music)
[00:00:07.940]The work we did was important to the future
[00:00:09.429]of the Imperial community in two different ways.
[00:00:12.600]One is the impact of the projects themselves have
[00:00:15.148]on the community.
[00:00:17.320]Some of the projects we did had an immediate impact.
[00:00:20.450]But most of them only started to take root.
[00:00:23.797]The second way was in our presence,
[00:00:25.820]I think the idea of a couple of strangers coming
[00:00:27.360]from this university out to this town just helping out.
[00:00:30.169]It was kind of nice to teach the people that people
[00:00:32.941]from urban communities aren't out here
[00:00:35.320]to change their beliefs or way of life.
[00:00:38.650]We need to be able to come together into the middle
[00:00:41.710]and meet in the middle and work together
[00:00:44.070]for that future that works for all of us.
[00:00:46.879]When the idea of becoming a community fellow
[00:00:48.570]was presented to me, I wasn't enthusiastic
[00:00:51.990]because I knew it would take a lot of time.
[00:00:54.320]I reluctantly agreed but it's been a great experience.
[00:00:57.640]I've always thought of myself as accepting
[00:00:59.520]of diverse personalities,
[00:01:01.030]but I've learned that I still have room to grow.
[00:01:03.645]In any collaboration I know that there will always
[00:01:06.410]be varied viewpoints and temperaments,
[00:01:08.800]and this experience helps me be aware
[00:01:10.820]and excited about the diversity that exists.
[00:01:12.870]The students have brought a new perspective
[00:01:15.680]and helped us see our community through fresh eyes.
[00:01:18.536]Seeing our community through new eyes is so valuable.
[00:01:21.920]As a community leader and longtime resident of Imperial
[00:01:25.221]I, along with other community members,
[00:01:27.860]really love to hear new ideas and we need to continue
[00:01:31.630]to look for new ways to improve our community for all ages.
[00:01:34.940]We need to remember to ask for
[00:01:35.980]and to welcome ideas from everyone.
[00:01:40.420]This summer two projects that I worked on
[00:01:42.880]were organizing a farmer's market
[00:01:44.620]and beginning to conduct a tree inventory
[00:01:47.180]where I measure the number of trees in a community,
[00:01:49.820]the species, and details about them.
[00:01:52.355]The tree inventory will allow the city
[00:01:54.520]to measure the overall health and diversity
[00:01:56.810]of their natural resources as well as allow them
[00:01:59.520]to measure key metrics such as runoff prevention,
[00:02:03.360]carbon sequestered, energy savings,
[00:02:06.010]and total property value added.
[00:02:08.040]Knowing these statistics will help Imperial
[00:02:09.890]be better positioned for grants
[00:02:11.490]and funding in the future.
[00:02:12.967]And will allow them to better deal
[00:02:14.690]with their natural resources moving forward.
[00:02:17.240]Imperial was fortunate to receive a set
[00:02:18.830]of rural fellows that were so eager and willing
[00:02:21.050]to engage with the public.
[00:02:22.648]These students jumped right into the community,
[00:02:24.549]creating several surveys and striking up conversations
[00:02:27.810]with as many community members as possible.
[00:02:30.499]As a community fellow,
[00:02:31.596]I simply helped connect our rural fellows
[00:02:34.300]with our community members, local organizations,
[00:02:37.080]and businesses.
[00:02:38.294]Our community really seem to feel valued
[00:02:40.245]and appreciated by having their voice heard.
[00:02:43.460]And our community fellows benefited from getting
[00:02:45.520]to know so much more of the community
[00:02:47.410]in such a short period of time.
[00:02:49.420]The projects that the students have worked on
[00:02:51.150]have been a kickstart to a whole host of things
[00:02:53.280]that we wanted to get done for a long time.
[00:02:55.802]Sometimes just getting the research and an outline
[00:02:58.530]for something is what it takes to energize staff
[00:03:00.990]and the community to put tasks in motion.
[00:03:04.210]The youth and energy that these young men have brought
[00:03:06.400]to our small rural city will remain with us
[00:03:08.970]for a long time to come.
[00:03:12.236]I have to admit, I didn't realize what this program
[00:03:14.650]was going to involve.
[00:03:16.630]And when I did, I only had two days
[00:03:18.570]to complete all the modules in the training.
[00:03:21.050]So while I was cramming through the program,
[00:03:22.680]I realized how much I was enjoying the exercises
[00:03:25.990]and how much I miss learning.
[00:03:27.810]So in the past,
[00:03:28.643]I have tried to research alternative energy forms
[00:03:31.990]for our grocery stores, and then most recently,
[00:03:34.580]electric car charging stations.
[00:03:36.860]The rural fellows program has reminded me that I need
[00:03:40.240]to challenge myself to study,
[00:03:42.020]to remember our community assets, and what they are,
[00:03:45.390]and create more of them.
[00:03:47.280]And even though most of my ideas go nowhere,
[00:03:50.280]I need to continue to go to our economic development person
[00:03:54.040]and city leaders to try to improve our community.
[00:03:56.797]The rural fellows experience has taught me
[00:03:58.620]how important it is to seek input from others.
[00:04:01.010]And to try to consider looking at our community's assets
[00:04:03.830]and needs from a different perspective.
[00:04:06.440]Not any one of us has all the answers,
[00:04:08.850]but together we can work toward a better,
[00:04:10.771]more inclusive community with a higher quality
[00:04:13.370]of life for everyone.
[00:04:14.870]The perspective given to the community from these young men
[00:04:17.720]from different communities has been invaluable
[00:04:20.170]and eyeopening in so many different regards.
[00:04:22.660]Work in local government as a city manager
[00:04:25.464]what I learned from this experience will help me
[00:04:27.260]in the future by keeping an open mind
[00:04:29.379]of those that I work with.
[00:04:31.360]My preconceived ideas I had about rural communities
[00:04:33.790]did not match the reality that I came to discover
[00:04:35.980]when I started working with the people in Imperial.
[00:04:38.960]I think that's an important lesson
[00:04:40.130]everybody should learn or be reminded of
[00:04:42.064]from time to time, that the things you hear
[00:04:45.720]and you start to imagine about someone or somewhere
[00:04:48.274]are not reality.
[00:04:50.680]Instead, I don't want to let hearsay guide me.
[00:04:54.450]I want my experiences to show me the truth.
[00:04:57.410]Using saying what I learned, I will be able
[00:04:59.220]to be a more effective, inclusive leader
[00:05:01.690]who is better situated to deal with issues
[00:05:03.930]and work with diverse groups of people.
[00:05:05.939](upbeat music)

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2021 Rural Fellows—Imperial

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