Name: Joyce Starke
Job Title: Field Training Specialist
Where do you hail from:
I grew up on a ranch 24 miles west of Hemingford, NE and 35 miles north of Scottsbluff, NE. In August of 1999, my husband and I broke ground to build our current home right on this same ranch that I grew up on. We moved into our new, beautiful home in May of 2000, where we continue to reside today! We love living in the country and working on our 2500+ acre cattle ranch in our “spare time” when we are not both working our full-time jobs in town!
What is it they say you do:
I work with new Children and Family Service Specialists in the Western Service Area to support their transfer of learning from the classroom to the field. In the field, I work closely with these new CFS Specialists as they work with families - teaching, guiding and mentoring them through various learning experiences so they can develop the knowledge, skills and abilities they need to be successful Children and Family Services Specialists.
Who are your early influences/who inspired you most:
There are three people who have inspired me the most throughout my life. The first is my mother, who has forever been my mentor, teacher, cheerleader and friend. Her selfless giving of herself to her family, her ambition and strong work ethic, her patient and loving mannerisms, and her gentle yet firm guidance have all shaped me into the person I am today. If there is anyone I would most like to be like, it would be my mother. The second person who influenced and inspired me was my older brother, whose life was cut short at the age of 32 in a ranching accident. He was always there for me as I blundered by way through a bunch of poor decisions in my early 20’s. He had an uncanny ability to gently and loving show me the error of my ways and help point me in the right direction without being harsh or judgmental. I don’t know what I would have done without him during that time! The third person who has been an inspiration and true motivator for me to always push myself towards bigger and better things is my husband. He is the most generous and giving person I have ever met, and I would not be where I am at in life today without him!
Family life/hobbies /community involvement:
I have six children (all who have “left the nest”), a son-in-law, a daughter-in-law, another future daughter-in-law, and one grandson! I am an active gardener and landscape designer for our own home. I absolutely love working outside in my yard or garden! I am an avid canner/preserver of all kinds of fruits and vegetables that I grow in my garden and in in our yard. I am a novice home vintner of wine, utilizing home grown grapes and various other home grown fruits. I love to cook and bake all kinds of goodies for my family and friends. I am also a horse lover and have taken on a new challenge – that of breaking/training my new little filly, who was born last August! She is a sweet yet spirited little gal and gives me yet another thing to look forward to at the end of my busy day at work!
The quotation I live my life by is......
Mathew 6:25-34 - which is summed up in the final verse…… “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34.