As a child, summers were magnificent. It was a time with no worries whatsoever. My only responsibility was to check the mail after I woke up. The best part, I usually woke up at noon.

Summer seemed to shorten as I became older. Maybe it gradually shortened because responsibilities started to pile up: take out the trash, walk the dog, paint the back porch, and recently, care for my baby sister Ady.

Working at the Center for Rural Affairs for a second summer in a row, I have learned responsibility that will help me in college and in the long run. I have taken on the role of Administrative Assistant, aka “holding down the fort” and Community Development Assistant.

As an Administrative Assistant, I have learned to multitask. Once, I was talking on the phone, writing notes, checking my email, and cleaning my desk. In college, I will have confidence in my multitasking skills.

Being a Community Development Assistant taught me to meet important deadlines and pay attention to detail. As I was mapping assets in the town of Lyons, detail was important, and the assets had to be mapped in two weeks. Term papers of 50 pages and this role have plenty in common.

Thank you Center for Rural Affairs for preparing me for college in a way I would have never thought.

Good luck: Steele Valenzuela is heading to Creighton University in Omaha to pursue a pre-med degree. We wish you all the best.