For 24 years, the Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering has made a concerted effort to build our outreach to local schools at all grade levels in Durango, Bayfield and Ignacio. During the Gathering we send cowboy poets and musicians to perform in classrooms and assemblies. Last year, they performed over 45 times in in two days at these schools, including at the Denier Youth Services Center for juvenile detainees. Three years ago we started a Cowboy Art Contest for students in art classes. Starting small with just the Durango High School art students, we now have entries and winners from all grade levels.
Also last year Sid Hausman, a cowboy song writer and musician, did a week-long song writing program in collaboration with 5th grade students at Park Elementary School. Twelve students produced original songs and performed their music in a special show at the Durango Library. Sid will be coming back this year to do his week-long program at a middle school level in Bayfield.
New this year, Gary Allegretto, a harmonica virtuoso and singer, will be working with groups of students in a local middle school conducting harmonica workshops. He will teach as many as 50 students to play four songs on the harmonica in one hour. In Ignacio we plan to conduct a poetry contest with prizes for young writers.
Another part of the mission of the Durango Gathering is to provide up and coming young poets and musicians a venue to display their talent. It is important that young cowboys and cowgirls help keep this history alive. This year Skylar Harwood age 23 from Utah, Kristyn Harris age 16, from Texas, and Jessica Hedges age 22 from Oregon, will come to Durango to perform in the schools and during the Daytime Theme sessions at the Gathering.
The Poet in Schools program is vital for teaching local youth about the Western culture and heritage of this area. We greatly appreciate support from the Ballantine Family Foundation and the Durango Friends of the Arts for making this program possible.
POETRY IN SCHOOLS PROGRAM
Cowboy Poetry and music is presented in the local Durango, Bayfield, Mancos and Cortez schools. Also at the 55 Plus Center, to Mercy Medical patients, at Sunshine Gardens Assisted Living, and in Ft. Lewis College classes. These performances are done at no charge in order to allow all ages the opportunity to listen to poets tell the story of Western culture and lifestyle in poetry and song. The poets and musicians generously perform free at these venues for two full days.
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| Cowboy poet and musician Sid Hausman performed a special week-long educational program at Park Elementary School in Durango to teach the children how to write poetry and write and perform their own cowboy songs. |
The goodwill provided by these poets is beyond compare. The history they impart gives an education about our Western Culture to many children and people in our community who cannot otherwise attend performances at our venue in downtown Durango.
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| Cowboy Poet Sid Hausman with students that he taught how to write their own poetry and sing their own songs. |
Well known performer, Gary Allegretto will teach a harmonica workshop for all ages at the Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering this year. |
FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA
In February each year, local FFA student leaders make a formal presentation to the Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering Board of Directors requesting funding for their Chapter. In 2010, the FFA used the grant to assist in getting the students to the State Convention and National FFA Conventions. It was also used to assist students with their SAE projects which are all agricultural in origin, such as raising livestock, starting an Ag related business or starting and Ag related job.
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| Officers of the Durango High School FFA Chapter took home several awards at the National FFA Convention in 2010 |
The Durango High School Chapter of the FFA was headed by teacher and advisor Robert Ortiz in 2009-2010, who was runner up for Colorado Ag Teacher of the Year. Mr. Ortiz moved to another school this fall, and the FFA students bade him a tearful farewell at their spring "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" fundraiser for breast cancer research. Their new advisor, Kaytlyn Naylon, comes with skill and enthusiasm to keep the FFA students active and inspired as they learn ag industry business skills, public speaking, marketing and finance as well as traditional farming and ranching vocations.
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| Funding from the Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering helps support the Agricultural Education program of the Durango High School FFA Chapter |
In return for the Cowboy Gathering grant, the Durango FFA students volunteer at several of the Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering events. You’ll see them ushering at the evening poetry shows and assisting with the Cowboy Parade in their distinctive blue and gold FFA jackets.
The DHS FFA chapter is dedicated to community service, leadership and promoting agriculture. Their members are becoming valuable citizens in the new Western lifestyles of America and the Cowboy Gathering is proud to assist them.
For more information about the FFA, visit their website.
durangoffa.webs.com
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| Executive Coordinator of the Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Linda Mannix, presents Durango High School FFA President Brittany Stevens, and Treasurer Taylor Moore, a check to support all the FFA activities |
4-H HORSE COUNCIL
The goals of the 4-H Horse Council are to develop leadership abilities, build character, and create responsibility and pride in the caring of a horse. Participants in the 4-H Horse Camp learned to work in groups, and individually, with their horse. Volunteer instructors taught horsemanship, safety and friendly competition in barrel racing, gymkhana games and Western horsemanship patterns. For more information on 4-H activities in La Plata County go to www.co.laplata.co.us
The Board of Directors of the Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering has taken important steps to insure that the culture and lifestyles of the American West will continue through these valuable youth programs.
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4-H Cowgirl/Cowboy of the Year In 2010 the Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering began a sponsorship program with the La Plata County 4-H Program that would award a special Cowboy or Cowgirl of the Year award. Each member of the various 4-H Chapters had to write a short essay on the "importance of the cowboy life". It was a difficult decision from many entries, but the Board finally selected Lexie Crawford as the winner.
Lexie is 10 years old and won the award for her essay "120 Years of Country Living" about living and working on the ranch that has been her family for 120 years. Lexie was presented a prize belt buckle for her outstanding contributions to her community, her 4-H club and the improvement of her horsemanship skills. This award will be continued on an annual basis to encourage responsibility and leadership among the rural youth of La Plata County.
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