Over the last four years, I have heard McCook Community Foundation Fund member Andy Long ask many times, “What can we do to bring our youth back to McCook?” Every time, he caught me off guard and I was never prepared to answer this question.
But four years of involvement in MCFF’s youth organization, Youth Change Reaction (YCR), has helped me consider how I can have an impact, the role of youth in our community and what the word “community” really means.
If you asked me at age 14 when I first joined YCR what the word “community” stood for, I would have said a community simply consisted of people and buildings. Why? Because as a youth in McCook, I never felt we were listened to or respected.
If you ask me now what a community looks like, I am going to smile and tell you, “McCook. McCook is the epitome of a community.” Why? Because as a youth in McCook, I feel like there are opportunities to be heard and respected.
Over the past four years, I have learned so much as part of YCR and still strive to learn more. My biggest takeaway from this experience is this: youth matters in our community.
Granted, youth don’t always make the best choices, but there are students who have a desire to make a change. The voices of youth matter. The ideas of youth matter. The feelings of youth matter. Without youth, our community would not be able to change and thrive.
So Andy, I am finally prepared to answer your question: What can we do to bring our youth back to McCook?
Listen
To bring youth back to our community, the community must have a passion for listening to the voices of the youth. From a youth’s perspective, we struggle to have our voices heard, to have our ideas accepted and to find the support it takes to come forward and speak out.
Guide
To bring about change, the community must work with the youth who have a passion for change and help guide them to make progress in our community. These youth are the ones who will shape McCook.
Our community will not always be the same. Businesses will open and businesses will close. Families will move in and families will move out. Friends will come and friends will go. But to leave McCook in good hands, community members must help train the youth of today to be the leaders of our community tomorrow.
Accept and Embrace
So often I hear, “I don’t want to come back, because there is nothing to do here.” There is never going to be a perfect solution for this, but accepting and embracing the different youth of our community might start a change.
McCook meets the lifestyles of families with parks, grocery stores, banks and civic organizations. But could you imagine how our community would grow and thrive if we had art centers for youth and adults? Perhaps an outdoor aquatic center that allows both older and younger youth to safely enjoy their summer days? How about a fun zone that allows small children to have after school resources and older youth to have an exciting place to meet with friends to play laser tag or jump in the trampoline park?
These projects are huge and would take years to accomplish but are possible if everyone worked together. It would also require the community embracing the different ideas and thoughts of the youth in our community. But that is what it will require to make future generations move back to their hometown.
I could continue on and on with the needs of our youth, but none of this is new. Honesty, even with these suggestions, our youth might never see why McCook is so important or have a desire to come back. However, having a passion to listen to our youth and a desire to seek change will be the best first step anyone can take.
I hope, desperately, the youth in our community can see how truly special and important our community is, but for now, I do - and so do my fellow YCR members. And that is a message we hope to spread. I may not be a big voice, but I am a voice on behalf of our youth.
We are ready to speak, to be heard and to help make McCook an even better place to call home.
Tesa Nelson is a senior at McCook High School and is co-president of Youth Change Reaction. She knows change takes time but hopes that she makes an impact now and in the future.
Jeremy Shaw named April 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month
While the Bison Alumni Newsletter will still be available digitally, a new printed service is available.
During a recent performance at the Fox Theater by the Lied's Arts Across Nebraska, there was one group who was not thanked: those who showed up for the event, which is a big deal.
Mark Friehe named March McCook Volunteer of the Month.
Although the Bodensteiners no longer live in Southwest Nebraska, they are still connected and wanted to see if prosper and thrive.
From long-term projects to weekly events, you cannot say "there is nothing to do" or "nothing is happening."
With the goal of reaching 200 subscriptions, the Bison Alumni Newsletter is launching a subscription service.
Long-time volunteer Don Harpst was recognized as the first McCook Volunteer of the Month in March 2025.
McCook's youth survey shows that young people now value safety in their community, something McCook provides.
Building Connections in McCook Matters June in McCook will be abuzz with fun events including a Youth Summit, hosted by McCook Community Foundation Fund. Our young people in Youth Change Reaction will host the first Nebraska Community Foundation gathering for youth, which will bring youth from across Nebraska to McCook. While still in the planning stages, our students identified that McCook is great because of connections . Our young people easily recognize how critical this factor is to people attraction, to people retention, and to improve their futures. What I miss most about my high school classroom is connections with students and colleagues. In education, I taught first, second, and sometimes third generations in families. My husband, Greg, and I are not McCook natives, but I eventually knew who was related to whom and usually where the parent(s) were employed. Going to the grocery store meant greetings from students and sometimes their family members. I officially retired from my high school classroom nine years ago in May. When you retire, the most-asked question becomes “What do you do with your time?” I try to maintain those connections and make new ones by belonging. For the past seven years, Sharon Bohling and I have volunteered to help plan and organize Bison Days for our high school students, which took place February 10 and 11. It would not happen without the financial support of McCook Community Foundation Fund, plus the McCook High School, local businesses, and the talented people of Southwest Nebraska who say “yes” when one of us reaches out to ask for the donation of time and talent. I would venture that they allow us to be on the Bison Days’ committee because we both have connections within our community—it’s certainly not our computer savvy. Connections can also solve a problem. Recently, I signed up to help a local family in crisis. My morning plan revolved around delivering my donation at a designated drop-off place. That didn’t work out. Fortunately, I still work with youth in various capacities, so I know that Keri Wilkinson works for Camy Bradley. Keri was an organizer for the family fundraiser, so I walked in Camy’s office hoping to find Keri. She was not there, so Camy and I visited briefly. She knew someone (who I did not know) who could possibly give me further direction. Only in a town with connections are you able to interrupt someone’s business, have her reach out for you using her connections , and offer to keep the donations for me until Keri’s return. Another great example of connecting can be found over coffee. Dee Friehe and I are longtime teacher friends. During a chance meeting at the grocery store a few weeks ago, she shared how she was there following a funeral service and was gathering supplies to deliver supper to the grieving family that night. She also updated me on her group of adults who meet for coffee on Thursdays at Ember’s, which varies from 8-28 depending on the day. She recognized the need for adults moving to McCook or folks just wanting to get out to make connections . Dee’s husband, Mark, also hosts his own group of men who are new(er) to McCook. She regaled me with stories of their Christmas party and other special gatherings. Wanting to call McCook your home is solidified by building connections . Ronda Graff has written about McCook Connects which matches a McCook person with someone new to the community of similar interests. I earned my McCook Connects’ T-shirt welcoming a young family with children. We have since spent many hot summer days sitting on bleachers together cheering on our 4-H horse kids while they show their horses. Warning: I connected them with a “free” new-to-them horse. Be careful connecting with me or you’ll probably own a horse. You do not have to be retired to connect in this community. Volunteering is a surefire way to meet people. McCook has many civic groups looking for new faces. Attend a church here; we have many welcoming congregations. Go to ball games or school concerts, attend concerts in the park, learn a new skill through the college, show up at a Third Thursday event or invite the neighbors for a BBQ. Take your youngsters to story hour or Move and Groove at the library. Go watch an event at the Kiplinger Arena. You can even take it a step further: Make a friend or call a friend and invite him/her to go with you. It is human connection that keeps us healthy and happy. If McCook Community Foundation Fund can help you connect in some meaningful way, please reach out for advice or support. *** While Pam Wolford may be retired, she is just as busy serving on the McCook Community Foundation Fund committee and started a new Learn and Return Scholarship with MCFF, while stepping up to grandparent whenever the call comes in.
