The Castro Country News received a Certificate of Recognition from West Texas State University A&M this week.
The certificate is for “Outreach Excellence Newspaper” and was given to Castro County News as a Top Five Newspaper in service to the region for publishing student and community achievements, playing a pivotal role in building a quality place to live and study, as detailed in WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.
In the accompanying letter, WTAMU President Walter Wendler stated, “On behalf of West Texas A&M University, I would like to recognize Castro County News as one of the top five newspapers in Region 16 for publishing the most academic achievements and community recognitions reviewed by our office, as part of the Communication and Community Outreach Initiative. Since the start of the initiative in 2016, more than 30,000 congratulatory letters have been distributed to students, school administrators and teachers and community members. Castro County News stands as one of the top five newspapers used in our outreach program.
“Without your newspaper, our initiative would not be successful. In May of 2021, a yearly update was distributed to schools within Region 16 and Region 17. In addition to the number of letters the school received for the year, I encouraged school leaders to continue submitting student, teacher and district success to local newspapers. With that in mind, I hope that the Castro County News will continue to share these success stories.
“Thank you for all that you do for the community. Your newspaper leaves a substantial impact on local schools and assists in WT’s outreach success. We are proud to be community partners with you.” Signed, Walter Wendler.
WTAMU President Walter Wendler said of the WT 125 plan and program, “The Texas Panhandle, with its uniquely Texas traditions, values and expectations will be the nucleus that defines every aspect of our work, without apology or equivocation. We will celebrate our deep-rooted value of hard work, of communities where people are committed to each other, of an enterprise that takes risks, and of rewards that follow determination and results. In this world of the American west, not everybody gets a ribbon.”
“The World Bank says that nearly half of the world’s population lives in rural settings. These communities, whose purpose and value are reinforced daily through contributions to economies and progress, are grounded by a sense of place and enlivened by digital drumfire that diminishes once seemingly vast Panhandle distances to near zero.”
According to Wendler, many institutions focus on urban issues, here and abroad, but he says that rural communities will be at the core of the WT 125 plan, just as local community newspapers serve the needs of their particular county or town.
“We will let the needs and opportunities of smaller communities drive our ambitions and aspirations, because people in these communities have dreams about their future, and while the communities may be distant from each other, they hold remarkably similar values and senses of purpose.”