Leaders aren’t born, they’re grown. Through the guidance of caring adults, and led by her own courage and strong will, Delaney Rogers has grown and blossomed in her leadership capabilities.
At 17 years old, this motivated youth has already founded a community-wide club for teenagers, led a fundraiser with profits over $500 for a cause she is passionate about and testified at a legislative hearing. All while still doing “normal” teenager activities as a junior student at Arnold Public School, such as playing multiple sports, cheerleading, competing in speech and being a member of National Honor Society. She is also active in the Custer County 4-H program and the junior Arnold Chamber of Commerce.
To say Delaney was familiar with the Nebraska State 4-H Camp is an understatement. Her earliest memories center on 4-H camp at Halsey.
During her eight years as a 4-H member, she has attended “quite a few camps there.” When her family moved from Stapleton to Arnold, one of her first experiences with her new class at Arnold Public School was a fieldtrip to the Nebraska State 4-H Camp. Moreover, her home is about 10 miles south of the 4-H campsite.
People are also reading…
The summer of 2022, Delaney spent 10 consecutive days at the 4-H campgrounds, split between the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards camp and the Nebraska Rural Electric Association Youth Energy Leadership Camp.
“At the leadership camp last year, I met some of the people I know will be in my life forever,” Delaney said. Little did any of them know that would be the last summer of camping at Halsey before the Bovee Fire engulfed the camp in October 2022.
“When we heard the camp had burned down, it was a total heartbreak for all of us,” Delaney said. She and her camp friends offered each other support via snapchats and texts.
Amidst her own personal heartache, Delaney was starting a positive movement in her community for other teenagers who were also seeking to make a difference. With the help of her English teacher, Nicole Badgley, Delaney founded an Interact Club, a youth division of Rotary International. The club officially formed October 2022, and a formal induction ceremony was conducted in November.
“She was the driving force behind forming a group like this after she attended RYLA camp at Halsey this summer,” said Badgley.
Currently, the Interact Club has 22 high school members, with four more to be inducted soon. They plan to open the club to junior high students in the future, as well. Youth come from Arnold, Broken Bow, Callaway, Dunning, Merna, Stapleton and Thedford.
Five of the original members of the Interact Cub had attended RYLA camp at Halsey last summer. Delaney said they knew that they had to do something, and the idea to sell t-shirts as a fundraiser began to materialize.
“We were one of the first groups to kick it into gear to do something because Delaney was so passionate,” said Badgley.
Tamara Barth is the grandmother of one of the Interact Club members and also owns Moonlight Custom Screenprinting and Embroidery in Kearney. She gave all profits from the t-shirts sold to the rebuilding efforts. A total of $563 was donated.
On the front of the T-shirt—right over the heart—is a Nebraska logo incorporating the words “Halsey Strong.” The back of the T-shirt reads “Leaders aren’t born, they’re grown.”
Delaney didn’t stop there. She also testified at the legislative hearing for LB 281 on Feb. 15. To prepare for her first legislative testimony, she called two senators and asked if she could testify as a teenager and what it would be like.
After writing “quite a bit,” she bounced ideas off of Mrs. Badgley. Her history teacher, Jason Wehnes, explained the legislative process and offered additional suggestions. With only three minutes allowed during a testimonial, each word had to be precise to convey her message.
Delaney’s parents, T.K. and Christie Rogers, drove her to Lincoln three days later to testify at the Nebraska State Capital. The senators had many questions for her both immediately after her testimony and following the committee hearing. Badgley said that many classrooms in Arnold tuned in to the PBS broadcast and listened to Delaney speak.
Delaney is an example of how youth can grow into powerful leaders.
“Teenagers are sometimes treated as if they don’t have a voice, and Delaney is definitely proving that teens’ voices can make differences, not just in their home towns but on a bigger scale,” Badgley said.
She is hoping that other youth will be motivated by seeing Delaney’s courage and become leaders in their communities, as well.
“We are trying to make sure that all kids know you do have a voice,” Badgley said. “You just have to find a way to make someone listen.”
