During my externship at the Caldwell Night Rodeo, I had the opportunity to help with a little bit of everything. I measured new buildings and event spaces, helped prepare for rodeo events, organized supplies, ran errands, completed daily tasks, and jumped in wherever I was needed. It was really interesting to see everything that happens behind the scenes to make such a large community event run smoothly.

One of the biggest things I took away from this experience was how important teamwork, communication, flexibility, and organization are. Every person played an important role, and I gained a whole new appreciation for the agriculture industry and the many careers that help make events like the Caldwell Night Rodeo possible.

As an Early Childhood Special Education teacher, this experience reminded me that career awareness starts much earlier than most people think. I want to expose my students to more community helpers, agriculture, and real-world experiences through books, dramatic play, hands-on activities, and guest speakers. I also want to continue teaching the communication, problem-solving, and teamwork skills that will help them be successful both in school and later in life.