The Village Behind the Grad Caps
As the month of May comes to an end, Austin and I wanted to reflect on our two years at Black Hawk East College and our time here at the Grateful Graze ranch as well as share our future plans with you.
“Black Hawk East College was a great chance for me to both learn and try new things. My animal science class, while it may have been swaying towards conventional practices, was a great way to learn about and improve my knowledge on subjects such as confirmation and body condition scoring. The competitive teams there are fantastic, and I had a great time using my newly acquired knowledge in horse judging. All of the clubs I participated in like Agribusiness Club, Student Ambassador, and Circle K were great opportunities to engage with peers and gather the courage to speak in front of crowds. I will be utilizing these skills in addition to the knowledge I have acquired in the future as the livestock manager for Bottens Family Farm. I feel blessed to have been offered this position at a young age, and while I may still have a lot to learn, I am excited and eager to get started going forward!” -Austin
“When I first visited Black Hawk College, it was for the sole purpose of livestock judging. I never imagined it would end up meaning so much more until today, as I walk through the halls of the East Campus once more, and am overcome with the realization that “this is it.” This is the last time Professor Larson will forget my name during crops class. This is the last time I will give a tour to a prospective student. And this is the last time I will enjoy spending time with my friends in the parking lot after practice. Even though this realization is hard, it also serves as a reminder to me of the memories I have made, the connections I have developed, and the opportunities I have been given. If I had not attended Black Hawk East College, I never would have been given the opportunity to work at Grateful Graze. I never would have developed writing experience in the agriculture industry. And I never would have gotten the chance to connect with you-the reason why I want to go to work everyday and the reason why I want to continue writing the story of agriculture for the rest of my life. With that said, I will be attending Colorado State University in the Fall. There, I will be double majoring in Animal Science and Journalism as well as be a member on the livestock judging team. Until then, I will be spending my summer writing about the happenings here at the Grateful Graze ranch and I cannot wait!” -Brooklynn
From the bottom of our hearts, we, the class of 2021 Black Hawk East College graduates want to take the time to thank our families, friends, teachers, and of course you for helping us further our passion for agriculture and fulfill our goals in the future.