KHSRA member, Makala Boswell
– Foto Cowboy
story by Ruth Nicolaus
Makala Boswell knows how to manage her time.
The eighteen-year-old cowgirl who lives in Kingman, Kan., holds down three jobs, is on her school’s honor roll, is president of her high school’s FFA chapter, and is involved with Catholic Youth Ministries.
And on top of all that, she runs barrels in the Kansas High School Rodeo Association.
Her barrel horse is a twelve-year-old bay named Fog who is “kind of a pain sometimes,” Makala admits. “He likes to rear up. (But) when he’s ready to go, he’s ready to go.” She got Fog a year ago, so she’s still getting used to him, but she’s looking forward to what they’ll accomplish together.
As a senior at Kingman High School, she loves her ag classes. She’s taking an agri-business class and is teacher’s aide in the small engines and power train class. She doesn’t know a lot about engines, but she’s learning by observation in that class.
The Kingmtan FFA Chapter hosted its annual high school rodeo the end of March, and once again Makala put her time management skills to use. She was all over the grounds for the rodeo, helping with concessions, working the arena events, and helping the stock contractor. In addition to the high school rodeo, they hosted a memorial roping on Friday night, which didn’t end till the wee hours of the morning. Then Makala was back to the grounds by 6 am to get the concession stand going. In addition to all her duties, she ran barrels.
Her three jobs include working as a document manager at the Citizens Bank of Kansas, where she scans documents, enters information, “whatever they want me to do.” She also works for a race horse owner named Bill VanLandingham, cleaning stalls and waterers, grooming, and putting the horses on the walker (with Bill’s help.) And she occasionally can be found babystting for two kids, ages five and nine, who, when they find out they are getting a babysitter, request Makala!
She is looking forward to a fun summer. She’ll go to Tahlequah, Okla, for her family’s annual rafting trip, then will be in her best friend’s wedding at Lake Cheney in July. Being at the lake is one of her favorite things to do. She loves to camp, tube, and hang out with friends there.
This fall, she will attend Pratt (Kan.) Community College, where she’d like to begin her animal science degree and eventually attend Kansas State. She’d like to do something involved with veterinary science but isn’t sure what yet. She’ll also compete on the rodeo team at Pratt.
Makala has a younger sister, Brandy, who is fourteen. Brandy is considering high school rodeo, and Makala hopes she chooses to compete. She’ll miss Brandy this fall when she’s in college, and also hopes Brandy will come to clean and cook for her, since Makala’s not a big fan of cleaning and cooking.
She is the daughter of Brian and Tracy Boswell.
