July 30, 2015 VOLUM E 51 | IS S UE 50 | 50 ¢
Northglenn-ThorntonSentienl.com
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Standley Lake alum serves in foreign land Peace Corps assignment takes woman to Guyana By Ashley Reimers
areimers@colorado communitymedia.com Elizabeth Archer’s dream to be in the Peace Corps started as a child. But it wasn’t until a day in her high school math class that the fire to serve was ignited. Her Standley Lake teacher showed a slideshow of his time in the Peace Corps. Archer, now 23, saw a photo of him riding an elephant and immediately knew she was headed to an exotic location after graduation. “I told my friend next to me that she should join too, and come with me,” Archer said. “She told me, ‘No way. There are going to be so many bugs.’ She wasn’t wrong.” Archer, who’s lived in Westminster most her life, said she’s always had a goal to help people learn and grow. To her, the Peace Corps was the best way for her to help, while also exploring and traveling. Archer began the Peace Corps application in May 2013. After a long, intensive process, she left for her Peace Corps mission on April 29, 2014. She now lives in an Am-
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ELIZABETH ARCHER Wake up at 5:30 a.m. and make breakfast and lunch. Bathe with a bucket from the rainwater barrel. Leave on the school boat at 7:45 a.m. from Massarie Island to Mission Island. Teach literacy to fifth- and sixth-grade students from 8:15 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. then eat lunch. Continue teaching until 2:30 p.m. Exercise before visiting with the locals on Mission Island. Tutor children in basic reading skills or hang out with friends on the island. Head back to Massarie Island. At 6:30 p.m. make dinner and wait for the generator to come on with light and power. Play the guitar and read until bedtime at 9:30 p.m.
WHAT SHE’S LEARNED FROM PEACE CORPS
• Laugh at yourself. It’s way easier than getting upset and holding grudges. • What happens when you step outside your comfort zone? It gets bigger. • I am responsible for my experiences. What I do, and what I expect affects how I perceive and interact with people, events, struggles and triumphs. • It’s important to be willing to have new experiences. It’s equally important to not care about what other people think. Shame is a waste of time. • It’s easier to start projects than finish them. • If you can laugh at having a face full of mud, you can laugh at just about anything. I would know. erindian community in Guyana called Wakapoa. The island she
Elizabeth Archer with friends and students during her Peace Corps assignment in Guyana. More photos are available online. Courtesy Photo calls home is Massarie. Archer works at a primary school on a different island called Mission. She started doing literacy intervention with kids in second through sixth grade before teaching an intervention class to fifthand sixth-graders who struggled to read and keep up with the rest of their grade. Archer also maintains a school library. “I set up a library checkout system and worked with the teachers to select three library assistants who check books in and out while I am teaching,” she said. “They have developed a lot of leadership and responsibility through keeping the library in order.” Archer’s time in Guyana has offered her opportunities she’ll never forget. She’s held a sloth, a
POSTAL ADDRESS
By Crystal Anderson
canderson@coloradocommunitymedia.com
(ISSN 1044-4254) (USPS 854-980) OFFICE: 8703 Yates Dr., Ste. 210 Westminster, CO 80031 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Adams County, Colorado, the NorthglennThornton Sentinel is published weekly on Thursday by MetroNorth Newspapers, 8703 Yates DR., Ste. 210 Westminster, CO 80031. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT WESTMINSTER, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 8703 Yates Dr., Ste. 210 Westminster, CO 80031 DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. Legals: Fri. 11 a.m. Classifieds: Mon. 5 p.m.
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way she behaves differently from them. She also worries whether her work is truly making a difference. “Not knowing if the work I do is making an impact is really hard,” Archer said. “I can work ridiculously hard and not know if it matters until years later. Unfortunately, I’m here now, and I want to know that it matters to someone other than me.” After Archer completes her two-year assignment, she plans to come back to Colorado, apply to graduate school and earn a degree in something related to counseling, social work or international development. “I also want to eat a lot of apples and cheese,” she said.
111th Adams County Fair highlights new activities Must-see attractions include new concert series
NORTHGLENN-THORNTON SENTINEL
monkey and a wild bird. But it’s her time in her community and classroom that she said is the best part of her journey to another land. “I get to teach amazing children and see them grow, and I get to become a part of a community, which under other circumstances would be a tourist destination, not a home,” she said. “I get to have children call my name and leap into my arms wherever I go in my community. I get to overcome obstacles which seemed impossible.” Living in a foreign county has its tough times too. With her family and friends miles away, Archer said she sometimes feels like she’s living in a fishbowl, with curious locals always watching to see the
“It’s bigger and better — you better be here,” said Adams County Fair Manager Melanie Snodell. The 2015 Adams County Fair is full to the brim of free activities, rides, entertainment, animals and more. Tasked by the Adams County Commissioners to take the fair to the next level, Snodell and her team spent this year brainstorming ideas and planning to improve entertainment offerings. From horse shows and 4H competitions to Monster Truck Mayhem and a Plain White T’s alternative rock concert, the 111th fair on Aug. 5 through Aug. 9 has something for every age, style and budget. “Our fair stands out because of the people in the county who come out, year after year,” said Jim Siedlecki, director for Adams County Communications. “It’s the folks in the county that make this fair special.” This year the fair is bringing back an old tradition with its new concert series. Hoping to diversify this year’s entertainment, the series will host country-music stars Chris Cagle and Cody Johnson, as well as the Plain White T’s, Karmin, Down with Webster and Lights. “This concert series not only adds another level of entertainment,” Siedlecki said. “Hopefully, it will attract a lot of folks who maybe haven’t come to the fair in the past and open their eyes to what those who’ve been coming for decades are seeing.” Some concerts are paired with events such as the PBR Bull Riding show and require tickets, which start at $15 and are available via www.
IF YOU GO WHAT: Adams County Fair WHEN: Wednesday, Aug. 5, 5 - 10 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, 10 a.m. - Midnight Saturday, Aug. 8, 10 a.m. - Midnight Sunday, Aug. 9, Noon - 8 p.m. WHERE: 9755 Henderson Rd, Brighton COST: Admission is free
FUN FAIR FACTS 1888 - Adams County celebrates the first fair and rodeo at Market Days 1904 – First official Adams County Fair held 1964 – Fair moves to current fairgrounds in Henderson 2015 – Fair goes mobile — first mobile device application created for fairgoer use etix.com/ticket/v/10980/adams-county-fair. A family affair, this year’s Kids Zone has more shows, attractions and rides to keep children entertained and costs low. A free section, the zone will host the Birdman and K-9 stunt team shows, along with a ropes course, a zip line, climbing wall, inflatables, petting zoo, pony rides and a kiddie corral, among other activities. On Aug. 7, the fair will celebrate children with Kids Day, offering special discounts on carnival wrist bands and midway rides, hosting favorite children’s characters and contest giveaways. “It’s about the experience families have when they get here,” Snodell said. “From the time you get out of your car until the time you get back into it, you just get a better experience
The county fair celebrates the rich cultural heritage of the area. Courtesy photo
for spending time with your family.” To help reduce traffic buildup outside the fairgrounds, fair officials have dedicated three park-and-ride stations within 10 minutes of the fair. A free service, each section will have a shuttle and take fairgoers directly into the fair. Parking at the fairgrounds will be free on Aug. 5, Citizen Appreciation Day, but will cost $10 all other times. For more information on the fair, visit www. adamscountyfair.com.