Teens Help Bring Back Oskaloosa’s Past

Nathan VanEngelenhoven is seen here participating in the 2012 Cemetery Walk

Oskaloosa, Iowa – For a decade, the Oskaloosa Public Library Teen Advisory Board has held its cemetery walk.

It gives teens an opportunity to learn more about the history of Oskaloosa and the people who helped shape it from it’s earliest days.

The walk took place at 3:00 pm on Sunday afternoon, with 11 different local personalities highlighted and a total of 14 students participating.

Hannah Sampsel has taken part in the walk since she was in the 7th grade. Sampsel, now a senior, shared her thoughts about taking part in the walk.

“I really enjoy doing the Cemetery Walk because I get to learn about all the people who have helped make Oskaloosa a great community.”

Sampsel also pointed out an additional reward that is achieved by donating your time doing the walk. She tells the younger students who are interested in National Honor Society, that by participating they can help fulfill the community service portion.

Youth Librarian Linda Fox, who coordinates the walk yearly, said that “the kids did an absolutely fantastic job.”

Fox said that the walk started out as an offshoot of a summer reading project approximately 12 years ago, “but from that point, we’ve continued it annually.”

Fox says that the teens get into their characters and will enhance their scripts that are handed out by her. Fox, along with local historian John Jacobs, develop the yearly walk.

Aiming to make the annual walk about an hour in length, Fox says they develop 10 to 12 scripts based upon historical documents, such as obituaries, about  prominent Oskaloosa residents.