Lincoln Public Schools student Madison left Lux Middle School this summer carrying a sparkling Heartland Emmy Award in her hands.

LPS storytellers Brian Seifferlein and David Koehn surprised Madison with a genuine version of the famous statue at the beginning of a Lux staff meeting. The veteran multimedia content and broadcast technicians earned Heartland Emmy Awards for their video highlighting Madison’s experiences in foster care and adoption. They decided they wanted their awards to be with the people who helped make the story possible. They presented one trophy to Madison and her family and the second trophy to Lux staff.

Madison learned that morning that her parents Brian and Amber would be picking her up from Standing Bear High School earlier than normal. She thought they might be presenting her with a new kitten, as the family had been discussing the possibility of adding a cat to the household. The affirmation and applause that rained down on her turned out to be far greater than any pet she could have received.

“I was surprised,” Madison said with a smile. “I had no clue at all that this was happening. I was just really grateful that I got this award. Out of all of the stories, mine got chosen for this, which is really amazing.”

Brian and Amber said they were proud of Madison for choosing to contribute her message to The Seat Beside You series. Seifferlein and Koehn have produced more than 30 videos highlighting topics such as Ghanaian culture, Independence Academy activities and the Bryan Community Garden. Their goal is to help people better understand their classmates, co-workers and neighbors, which will result in stronger schools, workplaces and communities.

“It’s really important for people to understand that you never know what different people are going through or have gone through,” Brian said. “It’s really cool for them to be able to tell a story like that.”

“It’s important for people to step up and be brave and share their message, because it could help somebody else,” Amber said.

Seifferlein and Koehn said they were excited when they received an e-mail from Madison last year. She explained why she wanted to share her words of encouragement with fellow students. Her generous and thoughtful attitude convinced both videographers that others would benefit from her uplifting account.

“She had a message for other kids, and that was super impressive,” Seifferlein said.

The first step in the production process came during a meeting with Madison and Lux school counselor Nicole Wurtele. Brian and Amber then met with Koehn and Seifferlein to discuss how the whole family would feel about participating in the video. They then created a plan for interviews, footage and an overall storyline.

Brian said they were grateful for Koehn and Seifferlein’s kind and caring nature. He said their willingness to listen to Madison made a huge difference in the film’s development.

“We’re proud of her for having the courage to do it,” Brian said. “Our role, at the beginning, was mostly asking, ‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ But she was pretty clear.”

The video, entitled “As You Are,” opens with Madison sitting in a Lux classroom and walking down a school hallway. It then shifts to Madison spending time with her three siblings on a leaf-covered pathway in Pioneers Park. The entire family is then shown enjoying a picnic together and watching a sunset by a lake.

“I think it went really well,” Madison said. “With all of the filming we did, and all of the random stuff that I said, they put it all together to make a really meaningful and impactful video.”

Koehn and Seifferlein won their first Heartland Emmy Award in 2023 for their video entitled “The World of Lisbeth.” They decided to present one trophy to Lisbeth’s family and the other statue to Prescott Elementary School. Instead of collecting dust on an office shelf, the Heartland Emmys give people like Lisbeth and Madison a tangible reminder of their self-worth and value.

“We want them to always remember what an amazing story that they have, what they were willing to share and how important that is,” Koehn said.

Koehn said the surprise ceremony was especially significant for him. The Lux alum remembered how former science teacher Tom Bare sat with him and his friends at the same cafeteria table for lunch every day. He later realized that Bare wanted them to know that they were an essential part of Lux’s building.

Now, as adults, Koehn and Seifferlein have opportunities to boost other people’s confidence with their filming talents.

“The coolest part about it is that we get to sit with people and do the same thing,” Koehn said. “We get to listen to their stories, and we try to figure out ways that we can tell them that their story is important. And what an incredible feeling it is when the world replies back and says, yes, it is.”

The Seat Beside You is a key component of their work for the LPS library services and communications departments. The videos are often presented during LPS professional learning sessions. They are used as valuable teaching tools for staff members about many subjects.

Madison said she is overwhelmed with gratitude for Seifferlein and Koehn’s ability to make her video. She hoped the film would inspire someone else to continue the waterfall of award-winning stories touching the LPS community.

“I’ve watched every single Seat Beside You video, and it’s impacted me,” Madison said. “Their stories gave me the courage to share my story. I feel like if their stories helped someone like me, then my story can help other people, even if we don’t have the same life experiences.”

Discover more about the important stories that are in The Seat Beside You series.

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