Randomly Tonia

Following graduation I had the opportunity to move to several cities in Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, Minnesota and Nevada.

These moves happened every few months, and in preparation I would call the local Chamber of Commerce to learn as much as possible about the next town we would be calling home.

The Chamber gave me information on rentals, hotels, trailer parks, businesses, and the general feel of the community.

I was able to make contact with some of the most active and involved people in the town before I ever entered it, and that enabled me to look forward to exploring my new “hometown”.

Back then I made this contact via telephone, but now we have websites that allow us to be informed and even get a sneak peek into the community.

That being said, I visited the Kimball Banner County Chamber of Commerce website and found an engaging look at what makes Kimball a great hometown.

I was treated to a photo slideshow, an up-to-date calendar, a list of new chamber members, job listings, a great description of all things great in Kimball and links to the City of Kimball and Kimball County websites.

I clicked the link for Kimball County and found a simple site with useful information, but it wasn’t very engaging. When I clicked the link for the City of Kimball website I was redirected to another site, which was inviting and informative.

I then visited the Kimball Public Schools website and then the websites of schools in the surrounding area.

Banner County’s, Potter-Dix’s and Sidney’s websites each have slideshows that include students of all ages learning, participating and having fun.

There are sports photos, elementary photos, photos of drama, speech, band, FFA, choir, and so much more. These schools use their websites to elevate the students, as well as, to invite and engage the visitor.

Kimball’s site seems almost dull in comparison and I can’t help but echo a thought that another parent shared with me – use the website as a teaching tool for the students in computer classes. Use it as a teaching tool for students interested in photography, art and graphic design.

Doing so will not only make the Kimball Public School’s website engaging and fun to visit, but it will give Kimball students a sense of ownership and valuable experience creating something that they can be proud of for years to come.