While many people may think Greg and I are McCook natives, our hometown is actually Cozad. We then both graduated from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and we were married for two of those years while we finished our education.
When Greg was hired by McCook’s Lloyd Benjamin and Associates in 1982, I finished my student teaching and began my teaching career with McCook Public Schools. We did not even consider moving back to Cozad because there were no engineering firms to hire Greg.
So, why did we choose to move to - and stay in - McCook? It offered us two good career opportunities. McCook offered the careers that promised a future; it had a great school system for me and our future children. It was close enough to Cozad for a visit if needed, but not so close that we were home every weekend. It felt a lot like our original hometown, and there were many young couples who were getting their start here as well at the time.
Because we were able to achieve our goals in McCook, I believed my students could too and shared that belief on a regular basis.
If you were ever one of my students, you heard me say, “Each of you needs to get some kind of training after high school.”
I also said repeatedly, “Live somewhere else for a while and experience life. Then come back here to have a career and raise your family.”
We need young adults to choose McCook. We are grateful for every MHS graduate who has chosen to stay and work in or own a business here. We are humbled by the number of our graduates who have chosen to get an education and come back home to invest in a future and raise their families.
Both the McCook Economic Development Corporation and the McCook Community Foundation Fund are working toward ways to attract more young people to transition into the existing downtown businesses.
How do we encourage young people to consider becoming a jeweler, a clothing store owner, a boutique owner, or an architect? How do we encourage young people to own their own auto-body shop, electrical, plumbing or construction company in Southwest Nebraska?
One project MCFF is developing is the “Learn and Return” scholarship. The concept is that MCFF would partner with an existing McCook business with a specific job opening.
For example, if a local business owner needed an auto technician, this business would help the future technician pay for college with the agreement that the technician would return and work for this company. Community Hospital and Hillcrest Nursing Home have similar programs already in place caressing healthcare needs.
Do you know a young person who dreams of a career, but isn’t sure how to pay for the education? Do you own a business and want to investigate supporting a future employee as he/she gets his education and returns to your company?
Not all my students were interested in a four-year college degree, nor should all follow that same path. That is why we need to create and promote different options for our students.
In my final “job” with ESU 15, I worked closely with MPCC, Mid Plains at North Platte, the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, and the McCook Beauty Academy to help students achieve education beyond high school. All these institutions are treasures.
Skilled jobs and trades are in high demand. The financial rewards are outstanding and we need to make sure financial help is readily available to get started.
While the “Learn and Return” program is being developed, there are already scholarships in place to help further young people’s education.
MCFF has two scholarships that are available right now. Both the Barbara Fassler-Neuman scholarship and the Nelda Haag scholarship are open for application and have a March 31 deadline.
McCook’s Masonic Lodge #135 offers $10,000 in scholarships annually. The Townsend scholarship pays for most of your college education, books, and a computer; just contact MNB Bank.
Both the McCook Education Association and the Alpha Delta Kappa teachers’ organization offer scholarships for future educators. McCook’s PEO groups support scholarships and loans for women of all ages who want to further their education. Memorial United Methodist Church offers annual scholarships. These are just a few of the scholarships with which I am personally knowledgeable.
For parents and students, let me offer my scholarship advice:
1. Scholarships are worth your time, no matter the amount.
2. You do not have to be the top of the class or have the highest ACT score to be chosen; apply anyway.
3. Adults need to be involved! Please help your student keep track of deadlines and to ensure that all parts of the scholarship are included in the final submission.
4. Word process or type all applications. NEVER submit handwritten information.
5. If a letter of recommendation is required, choose persons who write well and who know you. (This cannot be a family member.)
6. If you need help proofreading, find someone you know who can help with this; proofread your submission.
7. Start keeping track of activities and awards in junior high.
8. Start thinking about what makes YOU different from everyone else; do you have an unusual hobby or special interest?
9. Think about groups with whom you associate. Do they offer scholarships?
10. Drive the guidance office of your school crazy by checking on new scholarships that are available.
11. Many of the institutions offer scholarships of their own; check with the schools you want to attend.
McCook has so much to offer. We all know that once you live in McCook, you recognize it is a great community and you want to stay. If we want our young people to stay or return, we need to continue to make McCook an even better place to call home.
