Retrieving .Text of Textbox located on Panel during DataRepeater_DrawItem event - vb.net-2010

Question

I'm using the DrawItem event of a DataRepeater to change the .BackColor and .ForeColor of a textbox based on the .Text contents. This works just fine UNLESS the textbox is located on a panel. If the textbox is on a panel, then I am returning this exception: "Object reference not set to an instance of an object." It indicates that "e.DataRepeaterItem.Controls(txt_AWQRecordStatus.Name).Text" doesn't have a value. Stepping through the code confirms it.
BUT... if I just slide that textbox off the panel, then it works just fine. My Google-Fu has failed me. What am I missing?
Additional Info:
Visual Studio 2010 Professional, VB.Net targeting.NET 4.0
'Set Record Status Color
Select Case e.DataRepeaterItem.Controls(txt_AWQRecordStatus.Name).Text
Case "Working"
e.DataRepeaterItem.Controls(txt_AWQRecordStatus.Name).BackColor = Color.Green
e.DataRepeaterItem.Controls(txt_AWQRecordStatus.Name).ForeColor = Color.White
Case "Sleep"
e.DataRepeaterItem.Controls(txt_AWQRecordStatus.Name).BackColor = Color.Red
e.DataRepeaterItem.Controls(txt_AWQRecordStatus.Name).ForeColor = Color.White
Case Else
e.DataRepeaterItem.Controls(txt_AWQRecordStatus.Name).BackColor = Color.White
e.DataRepeaterItem.Controls(txt_AWQRecordStatus.Name).ForeColor = Color.Black
End Select

Answer 1

Answer to my own question in case this puzzles someone else in the future:
When a control is located on a panel, it is nested inside of it from a code perspective. So you have to reference the panel control, and then the control you are actually trying to change. So I had to chase my statements to read like this:
e.DataRepeaterItem.Controls(panel_RecordDetails.Name).Controls(txt_AWQRecordStatus.Name).ForeColor = Color.Black
Where panel_RecordDetails is the panel, and txt_AWQRecordStatus is the textbox on that panel. There may be an easier way to do this, but I'm going to take the win and move on.