The Olton Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture along with McFadden Grain, South Plains Irrigation, and Valley Ag Electric present the Beyond the Blue & White Outstanding Student Award to the 5th, 8th, and 12th grades at Olton ISD. The principals and teachers at each campus nominate students for their respective campuses and the nominated students are asked to submit an essay, with each grade given a different topic to write about. A committee consisting of this award's sponsors read all of the essays and choose the winners of based on the content of the essays without knowledge of who wrote them. The runners-up for each grade are given a certificate and a small prize. The winners of the 6th and 8th grades also receive a small prize The winners of each grade are given a plaque, and the winner of the 12th grade receives a $750 scholarship.
H.P. Webb Elementary - "What makes Olton a great place to live?"
Junior High - "If you could open up a business in Olton, what kind of business would it be and why?"
High School - "Where do you hope to find yourself in the next 5 to 10 years, and how would you describe Olton, Texas to someone who has never been here?"
Winner: Conner DeBerry
Runners-up (not pictured): Rocio Chavez and Gabriel Ramirez
Presented by Christy de la Cruz from sponsor Valley Ag Electric
Winner: Kambri Ruiz
Runners-up: Amie Beelitz, Isaiah Ruiz, and Sebastian Sparkman
Presented by Michael McFadden from sponsor McFadden Grain
Winner: Guillermo Gallegos
Runners-up: Karla Arriola, Kyle Blount, Jose Canchola
Presented by Melissa LaDuke from South Plains Irrigation
Below you can read the winning essays. As the essays were all handwritten, the formatting, spelling, and grammar have all been preserved as best as possible.
I am blessed to call Olton, Tx home. There are many reasons why Olton is a great place to live, and I’m going to share some with you.
On reason Olton is a great place to live is it is a small farming community. It is full of nice and caring people. Everyone knows each other and we all take care of one another. Local businesses give money to sponser many activities, like youth basketball and baseball, stock shows, and breakfast with Santa. Many people volunteer to help keep us safe. Our Ambulance and fire department both need volunteers. We are lucky to have such a wonderful community.
Our town has many churches. It’s important for small communities to have churches. Churches and pastors help families that are going through a hard time. We also pray for people who are sick. On Wednesdays some churches have programs just for kids. Olton has a great school. We have teachers and administrators who love us. During covid, they even did a parade through town. I’m thankful for our school.
Olton is a great place to live, because it’s full of loving and caring people, we have a lot of churches, and our school is awesome. I’m so glad I get to live in Olton.
In our small town we don’t have many places to get coffee besides the gas station. So, if I were to open any business in Olton it would be a coffee shop.
Opening up a coffee shop like this would require a premium location for all types of people to access and enjoy. I would also need the best latte machines, french presses, cold brew machines, and aeropresses. Having an abundance of these machines makes it easy for my customers to order their favorite coffee drinks. I would also have donuts, small snacks, and other drinks as well.
Besides bringing in a supply of great coffee drinks, this business would serve a greater purpose. My coffee shop would bring many different kinds of costumers. From the older generations at 6:00 am talking about the weather to the teenagers coming in at lunch to get their favorite frappuccinos. One thing in common with both groups would be the tables filled with warm converstation and laughter. A social hangout spot that requires face to face interaction instead of our faces buried in our phones and thumbs moving at a hundred miles an hour.
An establishment like this would create job opportunities in our small town. This could be a great job for teens or adults to learn how to be responsible and make their own money. It will also be a great opportunity to donate to local organizations and help Olton’s economy by shopping and supporting a local business.
Opening and running a coffee shop would be hard work, but the pros outweigh the cons. Helping the economy, bringing jobs to Olton, supporting local organizations, and bringing our community together one cup of joe at a time. This is why I would open up a coffee shop in Olton.
Home. I’ll find myself where times can be tough, but citizens will be more than willing to provide the shirts off their back. Home is located in West Texas with a population of about 2,000 personnel. Home is where resides the might Mustang Mascot, where delicious and glorious food is made for its residents. Home is Olton Texas. Olton is a magnificent community that is more than a town, it is a family. Olton community members smile and greet everyone with love and sympathy that show the compassion for its town and others. Olton is my Home. I intend to keep it that way, helping in any way I can. Whether it be in the school system or apart of the community. Olton Texas will forever be my home in my future. That is where I see myself.
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