Check this article out from the Ottumwa Courier

Kudos to young people in the area

The Road Less Traveled

By JEFF HUTTON, Courier Associate Editor

OTTUMWA — Young people who are making positive differences in our communities often don’t get the attention they so deserve.Unless they’re in athletics, sometimes their accomplishments go unannounced.

However, I was looking back at recent copies of The Courier’s Learning Page (every Saturday), where we have touted the efforts of a number of young people in southern Iowa.

It’s remarkable, really, to see how many students there are who are community-minded and goal-oriented.

Here are just a few:

• Jenifer Shultz of Ottumwa was recently named a student ambassador with the People to People Ambassador Program. She’ll spend three weeks in Europe this summer gaining “knowledge and awareness by being exposed to other lifestyles, not to mention the fact that the friendships formed last a lifetime.”

• The National High School Rodeo Association recently named Morgan Blomgren of Eddyville-Blakesburg High School as co-captain of the Wrangler High School All-Star Rodeo Team. Blomgren is involved in goat tying and breakaway roping and is currently competing in her third year of Iowa High School Rodeo.

• Several Ottumwa High School students were recently inducted into OHS Thespian Troupe #615. The International Thespian Society is an honor society for students of theatre. Each student must work a minimum of 100 hours over the course of two plays and in two different areas of stage business, including makeup, acting, set crew, props, etc.And it isn’t just students — area educators are making the news as well. For example:

• Sigourney’s Mary Williams is one of a handful of teacher-librarians who will be honored this year by Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack with the Glass Apple Award. Williams will receive her award Feb. 16 at the media center at Sigourney Elementary School.Keep reading the Learning Page and congratulations to everyone.

Speaking of young people — kudos to Wapello County Teen Leaders in Action. They have been working hard in producing their first student publication, “Our World,” which appears in The Courier on the first Wednesday of the month. One issue down, many more to follow, the group hopes their publication will serve as a voice to young people in southern Iowa. January’s edition featured a story about the dress code at Ottumwa High School, as well as one student’s opinion on the issue. February’s edition looks promising as well and I would encourage everyone to take a look at their efforts. The group also welcomes ideas and suggestions, as well as letters to the editor. They can be reached via e-mail at: ourworld07@gmail.com.

Finally, journalists, be it print or broadcast, enjoy friendly competition when it comes to getting a story.We are, by nature, competitive, hoping to “scoop” the other with our stories. It’s certainly an ego boost. But in the process, we sometimes become friends with our peers — and that’s the case with KTVO’s Carlos Correa. Sure, Carlos and I jab each other occasionally about who scooped who, but we’ve become good friends over the course of our time here in southern Iowa. He’s a guy who works hard at his craft. I found that out last year when we featured him in our Progress 2005 edition and discovered just how passionate he is about broadcast journalism. Carlos is leaving KTVO and will be moving on to a television station in Springfield, Mo., following his last broadcast from Ottumwa on Tuesday. We wish him well in his future endeavors. Good luck Carlos!