Subscribing to the Dream: Honoring 30 years of the MLK Youth Rally < Updated

The legacy of civil rights leaders Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Leola Bullock marched on during the 30th anniversary of the MLK Youth Rally Jan.19.

This year’s theme was “Subscribe: A Walk Together in Love.” King’s words of  “Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love,” and this generation’s social media usage inspired it. 

“Our main focus is, ‘How can we subscribe to the rally? And how can people subscribe to what we're saying in our speeches?’ and so we're really working on having positive youth action and promoting and engaging the community,” Addison said. 

Addison is a junior at Southeast High School and a member of the rally’s scholar planning committee. She performed an original spoken word poem called “JUST ice.” Addison has participated in the rally for the past five years.

“I can see the improvement in the progression of this movement and this mission throughout my five years,” she said. “I think it's really important to keep everybody in the movement, and keep the generations motivated to do better.” 

The MLK Youth Rally has been integral to the Lincoln community since Bullock helped start it in 1995. The longtime local civil rights activist wanted to create a platform to amplify youth voices and empower them to stand against injustices. Dozens of supporters show up each year to sustain her mission and vision even after her death in 2010.  

“The walk has always included youth and supporting the rally is really about making sure scholars holistically are supported and we, as Dr. Bullock challenged us to, are subscribed to stand up and speak out in a walk together toward love,” Peter Ferguson said. He has served as the rally lead advisor for 28 years.

Lincoln Public Schools students also play a vital role in the event annually. From performances to organizing it, they are involved in every step of the process, like committee member Lukas. He is a sixth grader at Goodrich Middle School and this is his second year participating.  

“Subscribe means in this rally to be like you’re contributing, you’re here to help and believing that you could change the world,” Lukas said. 

Lukas got his start by performing as one of the Belmont Scholars in 2024. Motivated by last year, Lukas returned to do a rendition of Charles Morgan’s “A Time to Speak” – a speech made after the Birmingham, Ala., Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing in 1963.  

“It made me feel good because I know someone out of this place is gonna take something away from my part,” he said. 

The 30th anniversary of MLK Youth Rally also brought back several past participants from over the decades including LPS Executive Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Brittney Hodges-Bolkovac, Lincoln City Attorney Yohance Christie, and alums Jason Wagner, Keyara Taylor and Eva Sohl.  

“It was a really great opportunity to work with other students from different schools throughout the district and talk about issues that I was really passionate about as far as what my personal experience was like as a student of color, but also, like, the history of the civil rights movement, what it was like and what it looked like in Nebraska,” Sohl said. 

Sohl, a 2004 Northeast High School graduate, started assisting with the event as a sophomore in the early 2000s. Her involvement continued post-graduation as she worked as a rally facilitator with Ferguson until 2009. The Lincoln native now works in New Orleans as a social worker. She said the MLK Youth Rally instilled in her important values like relationship building, intentionality and having bold conversations.

After 15 years of being away and watching from afar, she was delighted to be invited to return and reunite with other rally alumni and bond with newer participants to continue King’s and Bullock’s work of equity in her beloved community.  She and fellow alumni member Daniel Turner helped lead the crowd in the “I am somebody” chant to conclude the event, which attendees used to say while marching to the State Capitol in previous years to pay homage to the past tradition. 

“It just brings me a lot of hope that there's more and more of us sort of coming up with this shared vision of a world where everyone can feel loved,” Sohl said.

To see highlights from the 30th anniversary of the MLK Youth Rally,  you can view our slideshow or watch the LNKTV recording of the live stream below. 

2025 MLK Youth Rally Recording 

Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on January 22, 2025

Healthful Habitats: New partnership helps second graders learn about animals at zoo < Updated

Local high school students are helping to create thriving academic environments for several thousand second graders at Lincoln Children’s Zoo this year.
 
Science Focus Program (SFP) students represent Lincoln Public Schools in a new partnership with Lower Platte South Natural Resources District (LPSNRD) and Lincoln Children’s Zoo. The agencies are sponsoring habitat field trips to the zoo for all 2,931 LPS second graders. Approximately half of the elementary schools took tours during the first semester, and the other half will learn about animals this spring.
 
Gabi, Ophelia, Colin, Cayleigh and Liam were five SFP students who assisted with the field trips. The seniors worked with Lincoln Children’s Zoo Education Coordinator Amy Heusinkvelt to craft memorable adventures with giraffes, bald eagles and bobcats. Heusinkvelt led the tours and high schoolers lent their zoology knowledge to each expedition.

 
“The kids were amazing, and I really liked how we were able to be involved in a project like this that involved animals,” Ophelia said. “It’s why I wanted to come to school here, because I’m interested in studying animals.”
 
“I liked hearing what they had to say,” Liam said. “It was fun to hear their answers to some of the questions. You could tell that they were really paying attention to what was going on.”
 
SFP teacher Mitch Bern said many students in his animal behavior course gave enthusiastic feedback about their experiences this fall. High schoolers learned more about animal behaviors and ecology while preparing for the field trips, and they were role models for younger students who were eager to see mammals, birds and reptiles.
 
“Some of my students have been thinking about going into education, and the field trips gave them an opportunity to see what it would be like to help teach younger children,” Bern said.

 
Gabi said volunteering for the tours will also serve her well in her future scientific career.
 
“There’s a lot of communication that takes place in science, so getting to help with these field trips was really good for us,” Gabi said. “A big part of research is communicating what you’ve found out about something to other people. We had to break down what we know about animals to the second graders, and as scientists, we’re going to have to break down our research in our papers or speeches. If we can do that with the elementary kids here, then we can learn to do that in our jobs too.”
 
Heusinkvelt and LPSNRD Environmental Educator Adam Sutton said there have been many benefits from the multi-agency partnership. Animal habitats are one of the main units in the second grade CKLA curriculum that LPS has implemented this year. The wildlife encounters reinforce those initial textbook lessons, and they are also planting seeds of conservation knowledge in every classroom. The alliance includes shared funding from LPSNRD to cover admission costs.
 
“With this field trip specifically, I think it is so cool that kids learn what a habitat is and then come to the zoo to see hundreds of mini-habitats up close,” Heusinkvelt said. “It makes it a lot easier to understand exactly what animals need to survive when they see it in action. Also, just spending time outside is always of benefit to kids.”

 
“Providing students positive experiential learning opportunities about our natural resources throughout their childhood will help lead them to make good resource management decisions as adults,” Sutton said. “Outdoor/nature-related field trips give students the opportunity to expand on many of the lessons they learn in the classroom and build meaningful connections to some of our natural resources, in this case, wildlife and their habitats!”
 
The zoo-based field trips teach students about the habitat needs – food, water, shelter and space – of Nebraska wildlife, non-native wildlife and endangered species. Children feed giraffes, watch bald eagles spread their wings and discover how bobcats roam in Nebraska grasslands.

 
Heusinkvelt and the high schoolers showed second graders this fall how each animal helps their specific ecosystem. They also explained why it is critical to protect habitats and how zoos help preserve animal species. Each class also received one hour to explore the zoo on its own.
 
Saratoga Elementary School second grade teacher Brea Kreikemeier said meeting animals face to face made a big impact on her students. They identified many Nebraska animals to help connect to their local surroundings, and they learned science-based lessons about creatures from across the world.
 
“Students enjoyed having the opportunity to feed the giraffes and learn about their unique traits,” Kreikemeier said. “We enjoyed having the zoo leaders share their knowledge about the animals with all of us.”

 
Heusinkvelt said guiding classes like Kreikemeier’s put a smile on her face every time.
 
“I love getting to celebrate and foster students’ innate curiosity,” Heusinkvelt said. “Many of these students have never been to the zoo before, so being the one to introduce them to the excitement of feeding a giraffe or seeing a penguin swim is so rewarding. I also really appreciate the chance to teach about native Nebraska animals and habitat and remind students that we have a lot of incredible animals in our own backyards.”
 
The SFP seniors said it was fulfilling to experience the joy of helping others. They said they will remember spending time with the second graders for many years.
 
“They had such big hearts,” Gabi said. “It was really fun to be part of something like this.”
 
Visit home.lps.org/science to learn more about the LPS science curriculum. Discover how LPS high school students are customizing their high school experience at the Science Focus Program at https://science.lps.org/.

Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on January 22, 2025

SCHOOL CLOSURE: Lincoln Public Schools cancels school for Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025 < Updated

Due to the extreme wind chills and dangerous conditions forecasted in the morning, Lincoln Public Schools has made the decision to cancel all classes and activities for Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. This includes all practices. Tuesday is a School Closure Day for Lincoln Public Schools. 

LPS knows that school closures can cause hardships for families, and for that reason LPS tries to remain open during inclement weather whenever possible. A decision to cancel classes during inclement weather is always made in the best interest of safety for our students and staff. When LPS makes decisions to close in inclement weather, the school district considers challenging conditions for students, staff and families, as well as potentially hazardous conditions in all areas in the Lincoln city limits.

More information about our school closing procedures can be found at lps.org/closings.

Information about events and activities can be found here: https://home.lps.org/eventalerts.

Looking for age-appropriate activities for your student? Check out this special webpage curated by our Library Services Team. It has fun activities, read alouds and more!

Posted on January 20, 2025

Scott students transform Adams kindergarten art projects

Scott Middle School students sewed together a winter wonderland of monsters for area kindergarteners to enjoy over the holiday break.
 
Fifty-five family and consumer sciences (FCS) students traveled to Adams Elementary School to present a wide array of stuffed monsters to 108 children. Kindergarteners drew pictures of friendly creatures in class this fall, and eighth graders used their sewing skills to transform them into three-dimensional objects. They then delivered their art projects to rooms full of smiling students.
 
Eighth graders Sully and Savheya said they were happy to spread cheer throughout Adams' kindergarten wing.
 
“I thought it was pretty fun,” Sully said. “I got to learn more about the kids and hang out with them. They were very excited too.”
 
“It was just fun,” Savheya said. “It felt fun to do.”
 
Scott FCS teachers Macy Konwinski and Sydney Gerfen began organizing the artistic partnership between the two schools in August. They oversaw a semester-long project that connected their students with FCS curriculum topics like sewing, embroidery, child development and community engagement.
 
Konwinski said the conversations between eighth graders and kindergarteners on the monster unveiling day made all of their efforts worthwhile.
 
“Seeing all of their reactions was super cute, and having them read stories to them or just talk about what are they going to do over winter break was super cool,” Konwinski said. “Seeing our eighth graders intrigued in that was really awesome.”
 
Scott students learned about the basics of sewing in seventh grade, and they started their eighth grade classes with a two-week embroidery project. They discovered how to form French knots, make seamless stitches and turn two-dimensional ideas into 3D creations. All of those talents came into play for the Adams monster project.
 
“They’re using a lot of their sewing skills that we’ve learned in seventh and eighth grade,” Konwinski said. “They did it all by hand and they were really creative. They got to use ribbons, felt, beads, stuffing, head-sewing thread, embroidery thread, big needles, small needles, shears, all the things that they can use. They had a lot of fun with it.”
 
Each kindergarten student drew monsters that featured many types of eyes, hands, mouths and legs. Eighth graders received the crayon sketches right after Thanksgiving break, and they began working on transforming them into easy-to-hold felt creations.
 
Adams kindergarten team leader Nina Fischer told Konwinski that her students had been counting down the days until the older artists came to their school. Savheya said she noticed that excitement level as soon as she walked into the kindergarten wing.
 
“It was fun seeing their reactions,” Savheya said.
 
Savheya gave her monsters to Levi and Asher. One of her creations was gray with black stripes, and her second monster was a friendly blue character.
 
Sully brought presents to Emmett and Jack. One was a small purple monster that had hands and horns, and the second character was red with a smiling face.
 
Sully said he enjoyed watching Emmett and Jack compare his stuffed monsters with their original drawings.
 
“That was really cool, because they noticed every single detail that I did on it,” Sully said.
 
Konwinski said she was happy to watch the eighth graders connect with kindergarteners in a face-to-face format. Scott students recently completed a child development unit in their classes, and they tied in that knowledge with the monster project. They learned about the social, emotional and intellectual development of children and how to care for babies, toddlers and younger students.
 
“Since we just wrapped that up about two weeks ago, seeing them interact with kids as well was super cool for them to kind of practice that skillset,” Konwinski said.
 
Sully said he was grateful to have a rewarding visit with Emmett and Jack after he gave them their monsters.
 
“That boosted my confidence, because it gave me something to look forward to, and I had a really good end result,” Sully said.
 
Konwinski said she was proud of her students for being positive role models for everyone at Adams. She felt that was an important gift for the kindergarteners to receive.
 
“I really hope that they just knew that there was somebody older than them that they can look up to,” Konwinski said. “Growing up for me, even seeing the fifth graders in my school, I was like, ‘I can’t wait to be like them,’ and seeing them grow up was really cool. I think that for the kindergarteners, having that to look forward to, maybe when they come to Scott, we’ll still do this project, but they can also have that memory of kindergarten and have a physical object to bring home with them.”
 
Konwinski said she and Gerfen would like to make the art project a permanent part of the FCS experience at Scott. They plan to visit Adams again this spring with a new set of students.
 
Konwinski said she hopes future classes will create the same amount of winter wonderland memories as the first group did at Adams.
 
“I think they just did a really great job,” Konwinski said.

Visit home.lps.org/cte/fcs to learn more about the many family and consumer sciences classes available at LPS.
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on January 15, 2025

Energizing Savings: Energy Star initiative benefits LPS students, staff, taxpayers

The phrase “reaching for the stars” has a money-saving meaning for Lincoln Public Schools taxpayers this year.
 
A record number of LPS buildings have earned the prestigious Energy Star label for their energy-efficient footprints. To be eligible for Energy Star certification, a building must achieve an Energy Star score of at least 75 points on a 100-point scale. A score of 75 indicates that it is more energy efficient than at least 75 percent of similar structures nationwide.
 
LPS had 31 buildings that underwent the Energy Star certification process in 2024. There were nine certified structures in 2022 and 22 the following year.

 
LPS Sustainability Coordinator Brittney Wees said she was thrilled with the numerous Energy Star recipients. She said facility upgrades and energy-efficient habits from staff and students are responsible for the increased number of award winners.
 
“I am very excited to see this number continue to grow each year and to continue demonstrating that LPS has high-performing buildings all across our district,” Wees said. “We actually have over 50 buildings that are eligible for Energy Star certification. We have been slowly adding more and more to our list each year as data becomes available for the application process.”
 
Wees said energy-efficient buildings allow LPS to save money on heating, cooling and ventilating those spaces. For example, geothermal heating and cooling systems – which are more economical than traditional heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) methods – save LPS approximately $4 million each year. Recent indoor air quality (IAQ) projects have added better insulation, more energy-efficient lights and new light-controlling occupancy sensors to schools.
 
LPS Director of Operations Scott Wieskamp said the school district maintains a comprehensive recordkeeping system for energy usage. This has helped LPS identify and solve energy issues at its buildings, which has led to many positive outcomes.
 
“A byproduct of good recordkeeping is that you can confirm that your buildings are performing well or not so well,” Wieskamp said. “For those that are underachievers, we dive into the details as to why not, and hopefully make course corrections to improve their productivity and efficiency, thus energy savings, the ultimate goal.”
 
To obtain an Energy Star score, LPS Sustainability Team members enter 12 full calendar months of actual metered energy usage data into a computer program. They also provide information such as the building’s location, square footage, hours of operation and total employees.
 
The computer program uses the data to calculate how much energy a building uses compared to similar structures. It also takes into account independent variables such as hours of operation. For example, a building that is open 24 hours a day – and therefore uses more total energy – is not penalized compared to a location that is open ten hours a day.
 
An independent licensed professional must verify the building’s energy data in order for it to be certified. The professional also evaluates the structure’s overall indoor environmental quality, which Wees said was a critical element to consider.
 
“It is important to note that in addition to saving money, the energy management practices of the district also provide more safe and comfortable spaces for our students and staff to come to each day,” Wees said.
 
Pyrtle Elementary School is one of the school district’s most energy-efficient spots. The 1964 building has received an Energy Star score of 99 each of the past three years. Humann Elementary School posted results of 97 each of the past three years, and Goodrich Middle School tallied a 99 last year and 98 this year. Belmont Elementary School has also been an energy leader with scores of 96, 97 and 95 the past three years.

 
Wees said Irving Middle School is a prime example of the importance of IAQ projects at LPS. The school received a geothermal ground source heat pump system, new exterior windows and light-emitting diode (LED) lighting a decade ago. Those improvements helped Irving collect Energy Star marks of 97 in 2022, 98 in 2023 and 97 this year.
 
“After their IAQ project in 2014 their Energy Star score jumped up about 30 points,” Wees said. “And now this school that was built in 1927 has an Energy Star score of 97, which is impressive for any age of building.”

 
Wees said Northeast High School is also an Energy Star success story. It became the first certified LPS high school this year with a score of 84.
 
“High schools are tricky because the buildings are used all day, all year long by the community, and the swimming pools are a big energy consumer as well,” Wees said. “Plus, the original building was constructed in 1941, so it is always impressive to me how the district invests in our facilities and is able to create these efficient and comfortable spaces even in our oldest schools.”

 
Wees said she has been pleased with the energy-saving measures LPS has taken. She feels more buildings will have Energy Star labels on their front windows in future years.
 
“We really pride ourselves on all buildings performing at a high level of energy efficiency,” Wees said.

Visit home.lps.org/sustainability to learn more about initiatives to reduce energy costs and increase comfort and safety at all LPS buildings.
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on January 13, 2025

Constitutional Champions: Spartans, Silver Hawks advance to national We the People competition

Lincoln Public Schools students showcased their awareness of the bedrock of American democracy during a recent state civics contest.
 
Students from three LPS high schools traveled to Nebraska Wesleyan University for the annual “We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution” state event this fall. East High School claimed the state championship and Southwest High School’s silver team captured runner-up honors. Northwest High School and Southwest’s green team joined groups from Conestoga and Johnson-Brock at the contest.
 
The Nebraska State Bar Foundation (NSBF) sponsors the annual competition, which tests how much students know about the Constitution, Bill of Rights and other civics-based topics. Teams participated in a simulated hearing of Congress with adult judges who acted as United States representatives and senators. Students prepared statements and answered questions about the philosophical and historical foundations of the American governmental system.
 
NSBF Executive Director Doris Huffman said she was happy to watch the schools decipher different sections of two of America’s most important documents.
 
“The students competing in the We the People competition demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights,” Huffman said. “This is one of the premier educational programs offered by the Bar Foundation.”
 
East High School
East team member Avery Fast said the Spartans were thrilled with their state championship. They earned a chance to represent the school this spring at the We the People national contest in Washington, D.C.
 
“We were all incredibly excited when we learned we had won and could possibly go to nationals!” Fast said. “It showed that all our preparation paid off.”

 
East head coach Michaela Schleicher said the 20 Spartans on this year’s team were motivated to remain on top of the state mountain. The program captured its seventh straight state title.
 
“There is a long tradition of success for We the People at Lincoln East and this group of students wanted to continue that legacy,” Schleicher said. “Representing Lincoln East at nationals in April has been a goal for this team, so the fact that they get to do this means a lot to them.”
 
Members of East’s championship team include Nusrat Amin, Abena Bonsu, Ayla Brosman, Gabriel Buggi, Sarah Cai, Nathan Casper, Devin Erickson, Avery Fast, Khoi Le, Nicholas Li, Elizabeth Mason, Hannah Melton, Alexandra Meyer, Ananya Bindu Mirle, Cing Muang, Aidan Murphy, Kashish Nangia, Eloisa Swinehart, Emma Yin and Elaine Yu.
 
Fast and Amin both said the Spartans enjoyed researching historical documents during the fall semester. They became familiar with well-known and obscure sections of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and they used that knowledge to develop solid arguments for the contest.
 
“We had a very ‘go-getter’ class attitude and it was clear that we were all working hard and trying our best to prepare and win,” Fast said.
 
“I think our team’s success came from the hard work we all put in,” Amin said. “The WePo questions are definitely questions which can often stump students, so being able to understand your weak areas in your knowledge and growing those areas through hard work really helped us achieve success.”
 
Schleicher said the team’s commitment and camaraderie created a championship outcome. She said those skills would benefit the Spartans both now and in the future.
 
“The students worked hard throughout the semester to prepare and better themselves,” Schleicher said. “There was a sense of unity of purpose and it has helped the group excel.”
 
Southwest High School
Southwest head coach Ryan Salem said the Silver Hawks were happy when state organizers called their names as national qualifiers. He said the silver team was focused on achieving its goal of traveling to the nation’s capital.
 
“I was very excited to see the kids’ hard work pay off,” Salem said. “What has made this We the People team so special is the kids’ dedication to the hard work it takes to learn the material and write and revise their essays. I am very proud of this group of kids.”

 
Members of Southwest’s state runner-up squad include Vaneesa Barifagok, Brandon Beason, Ripley Becker, Tate Boesiger, Penelope Brown, Brooklyn Bruggeman, Gabriel Christensen, Brandon Clark, Brooklyn Engelman, Luthor Epp, Cole Erickson, Kasch Faustman, Casper Harris, Mary Beth Hart, Stefani Johnson, Lilly Kenning, Ben Kottmeyer, Anja Leggett, Kate Nolley, Kamdyn O’Bryant, Terrell Patterson, Ashlyn Penas, Paige Pomajzl, Benjamin Quattrocchi, Gray Salem, Harrison Schell, Noah Smith, Khloe Swanson, Nathanael Taylor, Madhav Variyam, Carson Vo and Reagan Vokoun.
 
Harris said he is grateful for the friendships he has formed from taking part in We the People. He is a new student at Southwest this year and learned about the program at the beginning of the semester.
 
“I remember at the beginning of the class not being sure where I fit in since everyone already knew each other,” Harris said. “But through my team I was able to meet some great people that I probably wouldn’t have talked to otherwise and grow more comfortable at Southwest. I’m really happy that I made the decision to participate in We the People, and I’m so glad that we have the chance to compete again.”
 
The Silver Hawks worked together to create statements about multiple topics for judges. This year’s list of state materials included 18 questions.
 
“When we learned that we had advanced to nationals we were all pretty excited,” Harris said. “We were feeling a lot of anticipation leading up to awards, and we were all surprised when all the honorable mentions had been read and we realized we made the top two. I think most of all we were really happy that all of our hard work had paid off.”
 
LPS students can participate in many social studies enrichment activities throughout the year. Visit home.lps.org/socialstudies/ to learn more about We the People and other civics-based initiatives.
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on January 13, 2025

Lincoln Board of Education to vote on interim superintendent appointment Tuesday

The Lincoln Board of Education announced Friday they will consider the appointment of John Skretta as interim superintendent at the next regular meeting scheduled Tuesday, Jan. 14. Skretta currently serves as the Lincoln Public Schools associate superintendent for Civic Engagement, a position he began in July 2024.

As part of the consent agenda, the Board will vote on a contract amendment appointing Skretta as the LPS interim superintendent through June 2026. Board President Bob Rauner said this timeline will allow for the Board to complete a comprehensive superintendent search.

“The Lincoln Board of Education prioritizes community input in our decision making, and selecting the next superintendent is no different,” said Rauner. “Our Board will engage with staff, students, families and community members as we outline our search and hiring process and find the next leader for our school district. This timeline of 18 months will allow the Board to complete this process.”

Prior to returning to LPS in July, Skretta was the Chief Administrator for Educational Service Unit 6 from 2019 until 2024. Part of his duties as administrator included overseeing all personnel and operations for the ESU that served 16 public school districts in the counties of Seward, Saline, York, Fillmore and Lancaster. In that role Skretta was responsible for administration of technology, professional development and student services including mental health, early childhood, transition education and special services. He was also charged with budget development and staff negotiations. As an active member of the ESU Coordinating Council Legal Committee, he focused on legislative advocacy and coordination of activities of non-staff lobbyists. 

Skretta started his educational career at LPS as an English and reading teacher at Northeast High School in 1995. In 2000, he became an instructional coordinator at Northeast High School and then associate principal in 2001. Skretta left Northeast High School in 2004 to be the principal at Norris High School. In 2008, he was named associate superintendent for Norris Public Schools for two years before becoming superintendent in 2010. 

During Skretta’s nine years as superintendent at Norris, he provided visionary leadership and practical guidance to the Norris Board of Education for all school district needs, including strategic planning and policy development. Skretta was also responsible for developing and maintaining community partnerships, managing all facets of human resources and fiscal management for the district, providing instructional leadership and facilitating fundraising efforts on behalf of the Norris School Foundation.

Skretta earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, a Master of Arts degree in English, a Master of Education degree in Educational Administration, and a Doctorate in Educational Administration degree, all from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. 

The Nebraska Association of School Administrators named Skretta Region 1 Superintendent of the Year in 2012, and State Superintendent of the Year in 2017. In addition, he earned the Distinguished Service Award from the Nebraska Association of School Administrators in 2021. He was announced the 2021 Nebraska Career Education Outstanding Administrative Leader by the Nebraska Department of Education.

“We are fortunate at LPS to have a strong internal team of associate superintendents who are each qualified to step into this interim role,” added Rauner. “We thank Dr. Skretta for his willingness to serve in the interim role. He is a well known, award-winning Nebraska administrator with years of experience as a superintendent. He will be able to carry the work of our district and the five-year strategic plan forward with little to no disruption.” 

LPS will follow its established hiring process for administrators by posting the associate superintendent for Civic Engagement position after Skretta’s interim superintendent appointment is approved. The new associate superintendent for Civic Engagement will begin July 2025. The interim superintendent and other associate superintendents will temporarily cover the duties as needed until the position is filled. 

Posted on January 10, 2025

TeamMates of the Month: Alyssa and Mary

Forever Friends 

When Mary met her mentee Alyssa almost nine years ago, she didn’t expect to be having a conversation with her about her trip to perform in a national honors band at Carnegie Hall.

“Alyssa was very quiet. Very shy. I guess that’s what has surprised me the most, where we started and where we are now.”

Alyssa remembers her young self similarly, unsure of what her mentor would expect of her.

“I was terrified. I was excited too, but I didn’t like to talk, so it was scary.”

A shared love of books helped ease Alyssa’s concerns. Mary picked up on that, suggesting at first that they spend their time together reading to each other.

“She’d read a page out loud and I’d read a page out loud. That’s all we did for the rest of third grade. We just read with each other.”

Alyssa is pretty sure one of the early titles was “Because of Winn-Dixie,” a book that features a dog. It only makes sense since she loves all types of animals. She keeps ferrets, guinea pigs and lots of cats as pets.

“I don’t even need to go to a cat cafe,” Alyssa chuckled.

Mary is clearly proud of her mentee and knows that without Alyssa’s strength and perseverance, her story could be unfolding so differently.

“It would have been easy to quit, wouldn’t it?” she asked her young mentee.

“Oh yeah,” Alyssa replied. And, she believes that Mary has played a key role as well because she is very reliable and trustworthy.

“With the things I’ve been through, that’s important to me. And, I know she’s not airing my business. She always asks if she can help me, which is great. Sometimes I don’t want anything other than someone to listen to me.”  

One of the key things Alyssa feels she has gained through TeamMates is confidence. 

“It’s been good to be able to come out of my shell.” 

Maybe that’s why Mary is not completely surprised to learn that Alyssa spoke with the band director in charge of the honors performance at Carnegie Hall about the possibility of joining the color guard at the University of Alabama after she graduates.

“From that quiet girl to one who talks all the time, is determined, talented and has great goals for her life, I’m so proud of her.”

Both of them see themselves being friends forever

You can learn more about Lincoln TeamMates at https://lincolnteammates.org/.

Posted on January 07, 2025

Strehle to retire from LPS with surplus of memories, achievements

The inventory of positive words that could describe the impact of Dale Strehle’s career at Lincoln Public Schools could fill the entire LPS Distribution Center.
 
Strehle is retiring as surplus and inventory manager this month after spending more than 24 years at LPS. He has overseen more than 16,000 online auctions, recycled thousands of textbooks and electronic items and created inventory spreadsheets for every LPS building. He and co-worker Erin Heiden have also helped LPS staff find hundreds of objects to reuse in their classrooms.

 
Strehle has met people from across North America in his LPS role. He said helping others through his job has given him both joy and satisfaction.
 
“I’ve had principals come out and they’re just ecstatic,” Strehle said. “They’ll say, ‘I can do a whole classroom with the things out here. You don’t know how much you’re saving me on my budget.’ That, to me, makes me feel great. To be able to provide a service like that, and I know Erin feels the same way, it’s kind of cool. It makes it all worth it.”
 
Ed Keifer is assistant supervisor at the LPS Distribution Center and will replace Strehle as surplus and inventory manager. He said it has been a pleasure working with him for the past eight years.
 
“Dale has such a wealth of knowledge when it comes to surplus and inventory,” Keifer said. “He works with many vendors and LPS departments to tackle so many challenges. From recycling electronics and books, to trash and metal, knowing what is no longer needed or used by the district as surplus is a huge undertaking, and Dale is always up to the challenge.”

LPS Director of Operations Scott Wieskamp also praised Strehle for his work ethic and cooperative attitude.

“Dale’s career exemplifies teamwork,” Wieskamp said. “He has always been supportive and professional at helping our operations team get what they need at the DC. He’s very knowledgeable and efficient, assisting our team’s needs, whether it be acquiring product, materials, etc., or just storage inventory for a period of time.”
 
Strehle became LPS surplus and inventory manager in the fall of 2000. He and former inventory specialist Sue Morgan worked together until her retirement in July 2021, and he and Heiden have been a powerful team since then. Strehle credited both Morgan and Heiden for their daily efforts at the distribution site.
 
“I am probably one of the most fortunate persons in LPS because of the two people that worked with me,” Strehle said. “I say this all the time, and I meant it, it’s because of them that all of this has happened. The work ethic of both of them was just amazing.”

 
One of Strehle’s top responsibilities has been overseeing surplus auctions. He led one in-person auction in both 2001 and 2002, and they were so successful that they became fall and spring events. People purchased everything from couches to computers at the popular sales, which were held until 2013. They generated $591,718.54 in revenue for LPS.
 
Strehle began running online auctions in 2014. Each school can send unused items to the distribution campus throughout the year on surplus trucks. After each surplus truck is unloaded, Strehle and Heiden determine what objects will be recycled, kept or auctioned off. They then attach descriptions and photos of each to-be-auctioned item to the LPS Public Surplus auction page for public viewing and bidding each week.

 
Strehle said he has enjoyed matching people with pieces of history from LPS buildings. He has administered 16,703 online auctions that have received 122,818 bids over the past decade. The digital events have netted $717,472 for LPS. The most popular year was 2017, when Strehle raised $102,321.45 during 1,917 auctions.
 
“To me, it’s amazing,” Strehle said. “We have to sit back and look back at it, since we’re a public institution, all of this was used to help further the education of kids.”
 
Strehle said one of his most rewarding auction experiences involved a group from Guadalajara, Mexico. A man was opening a school for grades K-9 in the city, and he contacted Strehle about purchasing LPS surplus items for the new building. The man and his father, brother and sister drove 23 hours to Lincoln and bought a 32-foot trailer to haul items back.
 
“He sent an email with a video of the opening day of the school, because the items were going to a school,” Strehle said. “It was so cool, because the parents dressed up and everything else, and then they showed the kids coming in. They were so excited.”
 
Hundreds of other surplus items such as chairs, desks and file cabinets are available for LPS staff. Strehle said approximately 300 people have visited the LPS Distribution Center this year to reuse items in their classrooms instead of buying new materials. The redistribution process has saved LPS $1.08 million in purchasing costs from 2016-23.

 
A second critical accomplishment in Strehle’s tenure has been the creation of detailed inventory spreadsheets. He was tasked with cataloging all LPS items in 2004, and he began researching and tracking 120 categories of objects.
 
He and Morgan visited buildings on weekends to count items, and a larger team canvassed LPS sites in the summer. He and LPS staff also created digital archives by videotaping every room when they were there.

 
A third achievement has been the implementation of a large recycling program. Strehle works with book buyers and recycling programs for outdated curriculum and library materials, and he coordinates with a recycling company for electronic items like old computers and televisions. LPS has recycled 192,000 pounds of electronics from 2013-24, and Strehle has sent 777 pallet-sized cardboard containers of books to recycling from 2016-24.
 
Strehle said he will carry a large surplus of positive memories with him as he moves into the retirement phase of life.
 
“That’s probably the biggest thing that I’ve loved about it,” Strehle said. “The interactions with people have been amazing.”

Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 30, 2024

Civic Engagement: Lincoln residents learn about LPS through Citizens Academy series

Paul Van De Water will be able to contribute more topics of conversation to his coffee group after attending the Lincoln Public Schools Citizens Education Academy.
 
Van De Water was one of 17 people who took part in the LPS community outreach initiative this fall. Participants learned about subjects ranging from school libraries to student services at the free events, which took place at five LPS sites this year.
 
Van De Water was interested in learning more about LPS because of his longstanding ties to the education profession. He was a member of the Cheney Public Schools Board of Education for several years before the school district dissolved in June 2006. His daughter also has experience as both a teacher and administrator at LPS.
 
“I had heard the perspective from the teacher’s side, and I thought, ‘Well, I think there’s more to the story on the administrative side,” Van De Water said. “So, when the article came out in the paper that LPS had this Citizens Academy, I applied for it and I was happy that I got selected.”
 
Van De Water said he has already shared many of his school-based insights in his social circle. He regularly meets with friends for coffee, and the group has talked about many of the subjects that have been discussed at Citizens Academy.
 
“It’s been an awesome experience,” Van De Water said. “Just overwhelmed with information.”
 
Tammera Mittelstet said her time at Citizens Academy has also been beneficial. Mittelstet is the statewide education and career pathways coordinator at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR). She also has a vested interest in the school system, as her two daughters are LPS students.
 
“I thought it was a great overview of all the different components of the school district,” Mittelstet said. “It helped me think, as a mom, where can I put my strengths and my skills to support the school district in the future? And, then also as a partner where there might be needs that we hadn’t considered that we can think through in partnerships in the future.”

LPS Associate Superintendent for Civic Engagement John Skretta said Citizens Academy workshops were an important way for LPS to connect with area residents like Van De Water and Mittelstet.

“The Citizens Academy really is the proverbial ‘deep dive’ into the myriad programs and key topics of Lincoln Public Schools,” Skretta said. “Citizen participants emerge from this well equipped to be LPS ambassadors. They develop baseline knowledge and become conversant in a wide array of fundamentally important district areas from curriculum, instruction and assessment to budgeting, facilities and operations, and everything in between.

“From Adams to Zeman, they get a real sense of the awesome diversity and incredible personnel and programs serving our LPS students!”
 
LPS resumed the Citizens Academy program last year after the coronavirus pandemic temporarily put it on hold. One of its top goals is to help Lincoln residents become familiar with the inner workings of LPS. The annual workshops also promote open lines of community engagement and provide opportunities for citizen feedback. The initiative aligns with the school district’s 2024-29 Strategic Plan goal of doing outreach that welcomes families and community members as partners in supporting the success of all students.
 
This year’s Citizens Academy participants were Van De Water, Mittelstet, Jason Berlowitz, Heather Bock, Sarah Button, Michele Casanova, Jeanette Fangmeyer, Karen Fangmeyer, Renee Ford, Suzanne Galloway, Betulia Jimenez, Tina Meyer, Adam Rupe, Ana Simic, Zulema Tanquero Herrera, Rebecca Wilson and Sarah Wischhof.
 
The group toured Robinson Elementary School, Northeast High School, Yankee Hill Education Center, Park Middle School and Lefler Middle School at the start of each session. Leaders of various LPS departments then delivered in-depth presentations to the audience.
 
Mittelstet taught pre-kindergarten classes in another state before arriving in Lincoln. She enjoyed learning about the LPS curriculum and how it is designed to ensure equity across the entire school district. She said it was also fascinating to examine the early childhood program that LPS offers.
 
“It’s really interesting for me to come and see how different systems function,” Mittelstet said. “I have a lot of respect for school teachers and school districts and what big tasks they’re given in educating our future.”
 
Van De Water, who has a background in finance, said one of his favorite presentations came from LPS Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs Liz Standish. She spoke about the budget process at LPS and how the school district uses taxpayer funds. Van De Water also enjoyed listening to LPS Associate Superintendent for Civic Engagement John Skretta, who talked about state legislation and how it impacts school systems.
 
“Part of the education process is I always continue learning,” Van De Water said. “Even as an adult, I think it’s important that we continue learning.”

Skretta said he was impressed with the curiosity and passion that everyone showed at this year’s workshops.

“It was deeply fulfilling to see the engagement and interest from the participants in the Citizens Academy,” Skretta said. “It’s a tribute to the constituents of our great city and school district to realize the level of commitment and the sense of pride in all things LPS that these citizen leaders possess.”
 
LPS will begin accepting applications next July for the 2025 Citizens Academy sessions, which will take place throughout the first semester. Mittelstet said if someone asked her if they should attend, she would answer with a resounding yes.
 
“I would say to them that every school needs support, and every teacher needs support,” Mittelstet said. “So if you’re interested in supporting the schools, this is a good starting place to figure out where you would fit in to create support that is sustainable and long-lasting for the school district.”

To learn more about Citizen’s Academy, visit our website at https://home.lps.org/citizensacademy/. 
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 30, 2024

Student News Desk: Behind the Beat - Southeast students learn lifelong skills from time in marching band

Written by Mollie Moses, Southeast High School

TOUCHDOWN! The crowd screams delight and, in the background, a symphony of instruments cheers along with them. That sound comes from the LSE Marching Knights. But…what do they do outside of games? A majority of students recognize them during the games for their aid in cheers and halftime shows, but what else do they do?

The Marching Knights go through a competition season just like basketball, softball, football, etc. Since Marching Band is recognized by the Nebraska School Activities Association as an official activity, they go throughout the state and compete with many other schools.

During the regular season, the Marching Knights perform at four competitions. Assistant Band Director Alex Hoffman said that their first competition of the year, the Wildcat Classic Invitational, was a strong start to the season.

“I was really happy with their performance at the Wildcat Classic,” Hoffman said. “It was a tough day to compete between it being a sunny 90 degrees out and the fact that it was the first competition performance of the season. We got some really good feedback from the judges there which is going to be helpful as we move forward in the season.”

The LSE Marching Band has a long tradition of excellence and trombone section leader, Robert Murrieta (12), sees it as one large community focused on improving themselves in various ways.

“It’s a good time. You develop skills; leadership skills, friendship skills. You talk with other members; younger members, older members, it doesn’t matter. We develop a sense of community.”

Community building begins before the school year with Band Camp, which is the first two weeks before school starts. During camp, the band is pulled together and all the new members learn to be part of a team.

“We come back together and start basically from ground zero,” Murrieta said. “We learn how to march. Then once we get that, we learn how to play and march at the same time. That’s fun. Then we start putting the show on the field … it’s a long process, but that’s how we get our success.”

Hoffman values how camp grounds the band and sets the tone for the rest of the season.

“Camps are a great way to transition from the summer into the school year,” Hoffman said. “It tends to be a pretty hot and grueling two weeks, but the progress the students make by the time school starts up makes it all worth it.”

Freshmen are important because they keep the band populated and going. Each year seniors will graduate and new students are needed to fill in their shoes.

“As a staff, we try to make an effort to get 8th graders interested in high school band with school visits and mini-concerts, hosting an 8th grade night where middle schoolers from around the district join us on the field and in the stands at a football game, and a winter concert at Pound Middle School,” Hoffman said. “We want prospective members to not only see what marching band is like, but to also meet current students at LSE and have a chance to ask questions and talk with them.”

For many, marching band becomes more than just a group of students performing on a field. It becomes a tight-knit family and a support-system.

“It’s been a really important part of my life,” Hoffman said. “It always makes me happy to see how much fun everyone has with their friends.”

For Murrieta, not only is it a fun activity, but he has also enjoyed the mentorship from upperclassmen.

“It’s been lots of fun learning from older members and then passing that down to newer members,” Murrieta said.

Posted on December 26, 2024

Navigators spin webs of inclusivity during unified theater performance

North Star High School students spun webs of encouragement and inclusivity this fall during a unified theater production of a widely-read story.
 
More than 40 Navigators took part in unified theater performances of “Charlotte’s Web” for the community. One of their productions took place in front of scores of fans from Belmont and Campbell elementary schools. The young audience cheered and applauded as North Star cast members presented a storyline that has been taught in hundreds of American classrooms.
 
North Star senior Ayak and sophomore Wade both said they have enjoyed their time in the unified production. Ayak performed the role of Charlotte, and Wade brought Wilbur's character to life on stage. They said their unified castmates allowed everyone to create memorable moments in North Star’s auditorium.
 
“I loved working with everyone on stage,” Ayak said. “Getting to see all of their hard work pay off like that was really fun. It’s been great to see how everyone has developed over the course of the semester.”
 
“They really did a great job,” Wade said. “They’re very talented.”
 
Lindsay Masin teaches English classes and directs play productions at North Star. Unified theater is one of many performing arts activities that North Star students can participate in.
 
Unified productions have taken place in the fall semester each of the past three years, and Masin has led a unified theater class each of the past two years. She said it was encouraging to watch how all North Star students have embraced unified activities.
 
“Over the past three years, we have not only seen the number of participants grow, but we have also just seen the support in our community grow,” Masin said. “Our unified programs in all areas are so well supported in LPS, and we are very thankful for the ways in which students are getting to meet people from all backgrounds.”
 
The goal of unified theater is to build an inclusive community that helps everyone feel valued and respected. Students with and without disabilities share the stage during the productions.
 
A unified theater class took place in seventh period each day this fall. Nineteen students became familiar with the “Charlotte’s Web” story, memorized their lines and learned where they needed to be on stage. The unified students joined larger rehearsals as the calendar moved closer to the public performance dates.
 
The activity meets the school district’s 2024-29 strategic plan in multiple ways. Unified theater promotes student wellbeing by helping them form friendships with people throughout their schools. It increases family and community engagement during the public theater productions, and it teaches inclusivity to people of all ages who fill the seats to watch the actors and actresses.
 
“Charlotte’s Web” focuses on the friendship between a spider named Charlotte and a hog named Wilbur. Charlotte becomes concerned that Wilbur may be eaten by his owners, and she spins words such as “Humble Pig” in her web to impress the farmers. Her plan saves Wilbur’s life and teaches everyone the importance of caring for others.
 
Ayak said she enjoyed weaving the storyline for all of the elementary students. They filled many seats in the front section of the auditorium and remained engaged the entire way. They laughed during humorous moments, stayed quiet for serious scenes and clapped when the Navigators took a group bow after the final lines.
 
“I loved seeing all of the little kids have fun today,” Ayak said. “They brought such a high level of energy to the auditorium. It was so exciting to have them here.”
 
Wade said the performance also gave members of the cast, stage crew and technical team valuable practice. They learned how an audience would react to verbal and nonverbal cues on stage, and they could work through any nerves they may have had before performing. They also gained confidence knowing they had made other people smile throughout the afternoon.
 
“It was a lot different than rehearsals,” Wade said. “It was good to figure out how everything would look in front of an audience. It was a lot more rewarding than just doing the play in front of an empty auditorium.”
 
Masin said she hopes the interest in unified theater will continue to grow in the future. She felt the 40-plus students in this year’s production would spin fond memories when looking back at the “Charlotte’s Web” playbill.
 
“Our kids look forward to this every year,” Masin said. “This is something that they’ll always remember.”

To learn about our English Language Arts curriculum like theater, visit our website at https://home.lps.org/english.
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 23, 2024

Rockets, Navigators share SkillsUSA knowledge at middle school conference

Seven Lincoln Public Schools students enriched their leadership talents this month by sharing valuable knowledge with younger SkillsUSA members.
 
Students from Northeast High School and North Star High School traveled to Omaha for the SkillsUSA Nebraska Middle School Skills Championships. Alyssa, Michael, Austin, Mina, Abigail, Natalie and Liam oversaw several career exploration breakout sessions to students from across eastern Nebraska. They also judged multiple SkillsUSA contests during their time at the conference.
 
Alyssa, a junior at Northeast, has been involved with SkillsUSA activities for more than two years. She said it was exciting to handle the leadership reins at the breakout sessions.
 
“I really enjoyed helping out with the middle school conference,” Alyssa said. “I found it most enjoyable because I am very driven to get as many students as possible to join SkillsUSA, and seeing how many of our younger generation is already involved made me extremely proud.”
 
North Star sophomore Abigail said it was rewarding to be involved with the project. The seven high schoolers developed an escape room lock boxes challenge and a classic Jeopardy game for the middle school students to complete.
 
“In the presentation we did for them, it was fun to work with the groups of kids and interact,” Abigail said. “I’m hoping to be a teacher, so it was a good experience. They did great and I couldn’t hype them up enough. The groups were great and it seemed like they actually were engaged and enjoyed it.”
 
Amanda Woodward teaches aviation and technical education at North Star and advises the school’s SkillsUSA chapter. She said the Rockets and Navigators learned many leadership and organizational skills from their time at the conference. They completed one portion of their chapter’s community service project with their volunteer work.
 
“All LPS students described this event as the most meaningful and fun SkillsUSA event they had ever been part of,” Woodward said. “A terrific time was had by all.”
 
SkillsUSA is a national scholastic organization that has chapters at middle school, high school and college/postsecondary levels. Teachers and industry representatives help students learn about dozens of skilled, technical and service careers through SkillsUSA activities. They also soak in knowledge about leadership, teamwork and citizenship at local, regional, state and national events.
 
Dozens of skilled and technical sciences teachers in Nebraska oversee SkillsUSA chapters at their local schools. SkillsUSA Nebraska divides the state middle school championships into eastern and western regions each year. The eastern conference took place in Omaha in early December and the western event will be held in Grand Island in early February.
 
The Rockets and Navigators spent part of their time judging SkillsUSA contests. They joined adults from both educational and industry sectors to look over multiple events. They helped with contests such as promotional billboard presentation, opening and closing ceremonies, bridge building, mousetrap vehicle, prepared speech and PowerPoint presentation.
 
The seven high schoolers also developed activities for the two breakout sessions. The group worked with Courtney Pentland to plan and practice for the big day. They came up with Jeopardy-style questions about many SkillsUSA topics. They also created five mini-escape room breakout boxes that included different keys and attachments.
 
Pentland, who is North Star’s school librarian, watched the students increase their confidence and creativity from their preparation work.
 
“For the students who put the activity together, they were able to approach the information in a way they may not have done before, because for the breakout boxes, you have to create puzzles using specific information that is challenging, but not too challenging,” Pentland said.
 
Alyssa said she experienced a personal breakthrough at the conference. She realized she was comfortable guiding the breakout sessions and helping everyone with the activities.
 
“I learned that I am very confident in front of students,” Alyssa said. “Before going into this conference, I wasn’t entirely sure if I had the ability to guide students the way that I wished I could, but through this conference I gained a lot of confidence in my leadership skills.”
 
Abigail said she enjoyed watching the resilience the middle schoolers displayed in her groups. They had to solve problems in a quick and unscripted format, which meant some potential solutions didn’t pan out. Instead of getting down on themselves, Abigail’s students came up with new answers to the puzzles.
 
“I loved helping and working with the kids when they had problems,” Abigail said.
 
The Rockets and Navigators will showcase their leadership talents to middle schoolers from central and western Nebraska when they travel to the Grand Island conference. Alyssa said that will give them another chance to share enriching moments with people who care about SkillsUSA.
 
“I really enjoy SkillsUSA because of the community that it brings,” Alyssa said. “SkillsUSA is really appealing to people that have a drive for their future, and as such it means that everyone that joins truly wants to be there. It is very difficult to describe how this affects the camaraderie that is SkillsUSA, but if I had to, I would say that it is incredible.”

To learn more about SkillsUSA and other career and technical education activities at LPS, visit our website at https://home.lps.org/cte/student-organizations/.
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 23, 2024

Hanseling, Trejo-Amen capture state honors for work as school counselors

Nicki Hanseling and Mattie Trejo-Amen have earned places in the state spotlight for their roles as educational lighthouses for Lincoln students.
 
The Nebraska School Counselor Association (NSCA) recognized both Lincoln Public Schools employees this fall with prestigious honors. Hanseling, who works at Mickle Middle School, received the Nebraska Middle School Counselor of the Year Award. Trejo-Amen, who works at Humann Elementary School, received the Nebraska Elementary School Counselor of the Year Award.
 
Professionals from across the state congratulated them during a surprise announcement at the NSCA School Counselor Academy in Lincoln. Much like a lighthouse keeps ships safe in an ocean or bay, Hanseling and Trejo-Amen help students successfully navigate their way through all of the educational currents at their schools.

 
“When they announced my name, I just looked around at all the other counselors who were in the room, and I’m like, ‘I know everybody’s doing great things,’” Hanseling said. “It’s exciting, but it’s something I said in my speech, ‘I know you guys are all doing great things as well.’ I’m inspired by all the school counselors who were also in the room and nominated.”
 
“I’ve had so many people text and email and reach out to me, and just congratulate me or just say really, really kind things, and it’s felt really good,” Trejo-Amen said. “I have been so overwhelmed with the amount of kind things that people have said to me.”
 
Hanseling, Trejo-Amen and Milissa Birnie of Ansley Public Schools, who received the high school award, will be recognized at a formal dinner in February. NSCA leaders will announce one of them as the recipient of the Nebraska School Counselor of the Year Award at the dinner. They will represent Nebraska at the 2025 American School Counselor Association Annual Conference next summer.
 
Nicki Hanseling
Hanseling grew up in Seward and earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She taught at Southwest High School for four years before joining Mickle’s staff as a school counselor ten years ago.
 
Hanseling said her middle school counselor at Seward, Bruce Dickinson, was a role model for both her and many of her classmates. She wants to ensure LPS students will have the same type of supportive experiences in her role at Mickle.

 
“I found a home here at Mickle and I love it,” Hanseling said. “Working with kids and seeing the growth from coming in as sixth graders to leaving as eighth graders is just magic to watch. Even as sixth graders, the difference in them compared to seventh graders, and seventh graders compared to eighth graders, is just cool to see.”
 
Hanseling initially thought she had received a spam message when she read an email telling her she was one of 12 finalists for the state award. A co-worker who nominated her for the honor came into her office soon after that, and she confirmed to Hanseling that the recognition was real.
 
“Even to be acknowledged as one of the top 12 was humbling and exciting,” Hanseling said.

 
Hanseling begins each morning with supervisory duties in the hallways, and she speaks with teachers and administrators in team meetings throughout the day. She also visits with students in her office about a range of issues such as academic requirements, safety concerns and social and emotional issues.
 
“At the middle level, it’s a spectrum of somebody crying because their friend rolled their eyes at them, to we have something serious going on at home, and we need to support that student here at school, and how can we help them find a trusted adult to talk to?” Hanseling said. “I have an agenda of things I need to do, whether it’s running a small group or leading a team meeting, but we have to be very flexible in dropping everything we’re doing to respond to a crisis.”

 
Hanseling also speaks regularly with other LPS middle school counselors on group Zoom chats. They share recent experiences they’ve had, provide and ask for advice about certain situations and give valuable encouragement to their co-workers and friends.
 
“I think in our role, we take on a lot,” Hanseling said. “We have a lot of expectations for ourselves for making sure all kids feel seen and heard, all teachers feel seen and heard, all parents are responded to, so it helps to acknowledge that together and realize we are doing a good job.
 
“I think a lot of us feel like we could be doing more. We wish we had more time, we wish we could solve all the things every day and make everybody happy, but that doesn’t happen. So, it’s good to connect with each other and offer that support of, ‘Hey, you are doing a good job.’”

 
Hanseling said her primary mission at Mickle is to help students achieve success throughout their LPS careers.
 
“We don’t always get to see the growth they make by senior year, because they’re only here (at Mickle) for three short years,” Hanseling said. “So just acknowledging that and recognizing growth for a student may look really small initially, but we’re planting seeds for bigger things that they might do for themselves down the road.”
 
Mattie Trejo-Amen
Trejo-Amen grew up in Cozad and began her postgraduate work at Southeast Community College. Her career path began to take shape after she enrolled in a practicum class at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She decided to pursue elementary education after having a positive experience in several LPS buildings.
 
Trejo-Amen taught at Belmont Elementary School for three years before applying for and being accepted into the Teach for America program. She said leading fourth graders in New Orleans for one year made a profound impact on her.

 
“It really changed my life, and I know that sounds super cheesy and cliché, but I was just opened up to so many different experiences teaching in New Orleans,” Trejo-Amen said. “It was such a good experience, and I think that has shaped me into who I am personally and professionally.”
 
One of those life-altering moments came when a student began crying because her mom had taken braids out of her hair. Trejo-Amen had a ponytail holder wrapped around her wrist, and she offered to put the student’s hair in a ponytail. That small gesture of kindness created a deep level of trust and respect from everyone in class the rest of the year.
 
“After I was done teaching there, school counseling was something I knew I wanted to do,” Trejo-Amen said. “I love teaching reading, writing and math, but I love getting to help contribute to developing people and teaching people how to be good people.”

 
Trejo-Amen returned to Belmont to teach third grade while completing her master’s degree. She became a school counselor at Pershing Elementary School in 2018-19 and began working at Humann three years ago.
 
One of Trejo-Amen’s top jobs is teaching citizenship and prosocial lessons in every K-5 classroom. She zeroes in on Humann’s four core values – being safe, respectful, responsible and kind – and tailors activities based on those areas. She supports them with their development of skills for learning, building relationships and problem solving to promote their academic and social-emotional success both at school and in the future.
 
A second major part of Trejo-Amen’s position is leading small groups of students in her counseling classroom. She helps them learn how to develop friendships, interact in social settings and improve problem-solving skills.

 
Trejo-Amen said it is rewarding to watch Humann students gain confidence academically, socially and emotionally after her lessons.
 
“I just love the things that I get to teach,” Trejo-Amen said. “I’m very passionate about what I teach, and I love working with kids.”
 
Trejo-Amen felt “shocked” when she learned she had been selected as a finalist for the elementary school counselor award. She was even more surprised when her name was announced as the winner. She walked in front of more than 200 fellow school counselors and gave a short speech humbly thanking them for the honor.
 
Another visible reminder of Trejo-Amen’s educational impact came last year when she met her former students in New Orleans. Her smiling fourth graders were now accepting diplomas at their high school graduation, and Trejo-Amen was there to share in their excitement.
 
“That was a really big full-circle moment,” Trejo-Amen said. “It was just exciting to see that and to have a part of that.”
 
While she was in New Orleans, Trejo-Amen learned that one of her students had been accepted into a prestigious program at Howard University in Washington, D.C. She is thriving at Howard and is poised to have a successful career.

 
Trejo-Amen said she believes every student at LPS can write similar stories because of the staff members at every building.
 
“Being an educator is really challenging, so a goal of mine is to share my passion and love for the profession because it really is the best,” Trejo-Amen said. “We have a part in helping little people become the best version of themselves, and that is the coolest thing ever.”

To learn more about our school counselors, visit our website at https://home.lps.org/counseling.
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 20, 2024

Bay High students expand creative concepts with new VR equipment

The learning gears for Bay High Focus Program junior Rylee were spinning in full force this fall as he used virtual reality (VR) equipment to animate a cartoon scene.
 
Rylee and other Lincoln Public Schools students are increasing their computer science knowledge this year through new VR technology systems. The devices are helping them prepare to enter the workforce in a wide variety of careers.
 
Rylee spent one morning at Bay High building an animated scene with the VR digital program. He donned a headset and attached hand controls before entering the virtual world. He was able to create heroes and villains, change colors of background scenery and see how everything looked in a three-dimensional format.
 
“I was sketching my character and I was figuring out how he looked in different angles, so it was really cool to see that and be able to physically have it there,” Rylee said. “It was really nice to be able to use that resource.”
 
Rylee said having access to VR equipment at LPS will boost his future prospects. He is planning to pursue a major in animation and a minor in computer programming when he attends college.
 
“As a 17-year-old, it’s really cool to get use of these technologies,” Rylee said. “I don’t have it at home, so it’s really cool to come to school and be able to use these newer things and be able to learn before going out and trying to test it out myself.”
 
Brent Jarosz said computer science is an integral part of the curriculum at Bay High, which is a focus program with classes on marketing, entrepreneurship and journalism. Students are using the VR equipment in a course called Digital Media and Design. The course, which is also available at all eight LPS high schools, introduces them to technical tools and processes that are used in digital design.
 
“Technology is always changing, so we have to be able to adapt to that,” Jarosz said. “Our kids are really good at it, but they only see as much as they get to, so it’s nice having that new technology within our classrooms and getting kids hands-on experience that they’ll eventually get to see in the workplace.”
 
The VR equipment meets the emerging technology piece of new legislation that state senators first passed in 2002 and revised in 2023. The law requires all Nebraska school districts to include computer science and technology education (CSTE) programs for K-12 students by the 2025-26 academic year. Beginning in 2027-28, school districts shall require each student to complete at least five high school credit hours in CSTE prior to graduation.
 
Students can complete the new requirement either through a single course or a combination of classes that cover CSTE academic content standards. School districts can offer the CSTE courses in a traditional classroom setting, a blended-learning environment or a technology-based format.
 
Jarosz said the VR equipment meets the emerging technology piece of the new state academic standards. Students first take an introductory VR lesson where they try out the headsets and hand controls. They then create items such as virtual houses, snowmen and spaceships in a second lesson that emphasizes imagination and experimentation.
 
“They think it’s cool that they get to do it in school,” Jarosz said. “They really like the equipment; they think it’s really cool. They really want to do more.”
 
Bay High junior Graham said he has enjoyed working with the 3D modeling aspect of the VR system. He spent one morning building a campfire scene. He used one VR tool to make little rocks to surround the campfire, and he then employed a fire tool to draw the flames and smoke.
 
Graham has used VR technology at his home to play games for the past three years. He said having similar equipment in the classroom is even more exciting because of the educational benefits he is receiving.
 
“I think it’s very interesting, because it can teach you more hands-on experiences rather than just being told to do something and then you have to do it yourself,” Graham said. “It kind of also gives you the freedom to figure out what you want to do and how you want to execute that.”
 
Students like Graham and Rylee have also discovered how 2D and 3D projects relate to each other. They begin designing many of their ideas using software such as Adobe Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator. They are then able to translate those concepts into VR formats, which gives them different points of view to work from.
 
“If we want to figure out, ‘Okay, so if I’m doing this on paper or if I’m doing this scene in the hallway, let’s just sketch out that scene and let’s see how we can do it moving in 3D space,’” Rylee said. “In the future this technology can be used to do storyboards, but in a 3D plane, so that way you know exactly what you’re going to be doing before you do it.”
 
Rylee said the integration of VR equipment into the classroom is another reason why he likes coming to Bay High to study every day.
 
“I really enjoy the creative freedom,” Rylee said. “I’m able to just learn at my own pace and I’m able to work on my personal projects.”
 
LPS students entering grades 11 and 12 can apply to study at Bay High each year. Visit bayhigh.lps.org to learn more about Bay High and the many educational opportunities there.
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 19, 2024

Safe Surfers: Scott students gain internet safety tips from Google presentation

Scott Middle School students Willow and Mila left the multipurpose room knowing how to be strong, alert, smart, brave and kind on the internet.
 
The two sixth graders joined more than 250 of their classmates at Google’s “Be Internet Awesome Road Show” Dec. 17. The global company hosted a 45-minute interactive program in partnership with Omaha-based nonprofit Smart Gen Society. The goal was to teach students how to safely navigate the internet every time they pick up a smartphone, access a tablet or log onto a computer.
 
Mila and Willow said they collected many digital-savvy tips from the presentation.
 
“I think the biggest takeaway I got was our actions matter on the internet, even if we don’t think that we do, because we leave a digital footprint wherever we go, and it’s really important that we are respectful when we’re on the internet, so later on it doesn’t affect our everyday life,” Mila said.
 
“It was fun but it was informative,” Willow said. “It’s going to make a good impact on us, and we’re taking that into perspective. Sometimes you don’t think about those things, but this made us think.”
 
Smart Gen Society Chief Executive Officer Amie Konwinski said she was pleased with the morning’s outcome. Konwinski had heard great things about Scott students from her daughter, Macy, who teaches family and consumer sciences classes at the school. Google representatives shared Konwinski’s vision of reaching a large audience of middle schoolers, and they decided to bring the road show to Scott’s campus.
 
“We just love the opportunity to come into Lincoln Public Schools,” Konwinski said. “They are such a fantastic organization to work with, and obviously the kids did a great job and they had a great time, so it was an easy choice.”
 
Nebraska First Lady Suzanne Pillen spoke to students at the start of the assembly, and she later participated in a game show activity on stage. She felt the program’s interactive style helped sixth graders fully absorb the educational material.
 
“I think that really encourages the kids to get involved, and it’s how they learn the best,” Pillen said. “There was a lot of enthusiasm in this room today. It was exciting.”
 
The program’s framework focused on five tips for students to remember in today’s digital world: share content with care, don’t fall for fake, secure your information, use your power for good and when in doubt, talk it out. The audience raised paddles that contained a green check mark and red ‘x’ to answer questions throughout the morning, and multiple students told organizers why they thought internet safety was a key issue.
 
Konwinski said providing proactive digital education to sixth graders will make a difference both now and in the future.
 
“It is so important for kids to know how to be safe online, especially now,” Konwinski said. “Fifty percent of our students in the United States are spending a 40-hour work week on their phone, so we need to make sure that what they’re doing and seeing online is not only safer, but they know who to talk to when they’re going to have an issue or problem.”
 
Scott students Millie and Eric said they recognized the reasons why Google has launched the road show. Eric has a smartphone and uses it to watch social apps like YouTube. Millie has also become familiar with digital technology after taking computer science classes at LPS.
 
“I liked it because there are a lot of people who don’t know how to stay safe on the internet,” Millie said. “I thought it helped some people figure out how to be safe.”
 
“I probably will be more careful of who I’m talking to and why I’m talking to them, and see if they’re being suspicious or not, so I know if they’re scamming,” Eric said.
 
Eric said the digital literacy curriculum at LPS gave him a good foundation for Google’s program. LPS provides digital citizenship lessons to everyone in grades K-12, and LPS Library Services releases digital literacy tips on social media every Tuesday.
 
“That really helped with this presentation,” Eric said.
 
The event was the latest community outreach initiative by Google, which is building a large data center in Lincoln. The company donated $100,000 to the Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools last month. The foundation will use the money for its summer camp program called Spark. Students in first through sixth grades explore science, technology, engineering, arts and math topics in the nine-week Spark camp.
 
Pillen and Konwinski both said they would enjoy sharing Google-based digital literacy lessons at other schools across the state. They said watching students like Willow, Mila, Millie and Eric have fun at Scott made all of the preparation worthwhile.
 
“I thought it was amazing,” Konwinski said. “Google did such a great job of making sure the students felt engaged and they got all of the tips they needed to.”
 
To learn more about the LPS digital citizenship curriculum, visit our website at lms.lps.libguides.com/LPSdigitalcitizenship. You can also check out our other digital literacy resources for students and families at home.lps.org/technology/keyconcepts.
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 19, 2024

Unified bowling strengthens student connections at LPS high schools

Northwest High School junior Tenley couldn’t stop glowing as she struck up a conversation this fall about her unified bowling experience.
 
Tenley is part of a positive sport that has witnessed major growth at local, state and national levels in recent years. All eight Lincoln Public Schools high schools offer unified bowling, which provides a place for students with and without disabilities to have fun together.
 
Tenley said she would encourage all LPS students to try the activity. She said she has benefited in many educational ways from her time at bowling alleys.
 
“I would 100 percent say do it,” Tenley said. “It’s honestly so much fun. Every single day I’m like, ‘Oh my goodness, I get to have unified practice today after school.’ I’m so excited to come out and hang out with people. It’s so heartwarming and so much fun. It’s just a fun time and I love helping out.”
 
East senior Melena had similar sentiments. She joined her school’s unified bowling program as a sophomore after spending time in the Circle of Friends Lunch Bunch community. She said it has been one of the best decisions she has made during her high school career.
 
“I feel like there’s no way to lose here,” Melena said. “You will definitely gain something out of this, whether it’s a new friendship, new skills, whether it’s just learning how to bowl or just learning how to communicate with people in other ways. There’s really nothing to lose.”
 
The Nebraska School Activities Association sanctions unified bowling and includes duals and tournaments throughout the season. Students in grades 9-12 form five-person teams that consist of members with and without disabilities. The sport’s biggest goal is to build an inclusive community that helps everyone feel valued and respected.
 
LPS has become a leader in the fast-growing nationwide activity. There were 156 students who were members of LPS unified bowling teams last year. Final participation numbers for 2024-25 are not yet compiled, but all eight schools – Lincoln High, East, North Star, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest and Standing Bear – are sponsoring teams. Dozens of students are representing their schools throughout the season.
 
The activity connects with the 2024-29 school district’s strategic plan in several ways. Unified bowling promotes student wellbeing and outcomes and increases family and community engagement. Many families come to watch students at duals and tournaments throughout the year, which builds stronger community bonds.
 
Nebraska was one of 11 states that sponsored unified bowling activities in 2023-24. Nebraska had the second-highest number of participants in the country with 1,600 girls and boys from 84 schools. There were 750 girls and 850 boys who took part in the sport last year.
 
New York (1,549 girls and 1,865 boys) was the only state with a larger unified bowling presence. Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan and New Jersey also sponsor the sport. LPS had nearly as many total unified bowlers (156) as there were in all of Michigan (229 girls and boys), Kentucky (239) and California (240).
 
There were 4,657 unified bowlers in the country in the 2021-22 school year. The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) said those numbers rose to 7,191 in 2022-23 and 8,332 last year.
 
Melena said being involved in the activity over the past three years has increased her leadership and communication skills. She has worked closely with a pair of East teammates who have intellectual disabilities. Her patient and kind demeanor has helped them feel both confident and comfortable on the bowling lane.
 
“I’ve gotten to learn a lot of their strengths, and also how to, not coach them, but help them find ways that allow them to bowl too and have fun,” Melena said.
 
East senior Grant has also been involved with unified bowling for three years. He wanted to spend more time with several friends he had made in a unified physical education class, and he decided to try out for the sport. The decision has helped him expand his social network with many Spartans.
 
“I’ve made a lot of friendships in unified, and I don’t think I would have as many friends as I do now if I didn’t go out for any unified activities,” Grant said.
 
Grant has spent a large amount of time partnering with one of his classmates on the team. The student said he has been grateful for Grant’s friendship.
 
“Grant is a good person,” he said. “I’ve known him for a long time.”
 
Tenley, Melena and Grant all said the benefits that come from unified bowling will stick with them for the rest of their lives.
 
“I’ve been a part of a lot of different unified activities, and every year I keep coming back because there’s nothing like unified bowling,” Grant said. “It’s just a constant fun environment and there’s just nonstop laughter and fun. It’s just awesome. It’s awesome to be around all these people.”

To learn more about LPS Athletics and Activities, visit our website at https://home.lps.org/athletics. 
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 17, 2024

Park Middle School resource fair provides helping hands to LPS families

Park Middle School became a place where many helping hands could reach out into the community this fall during a resource fair.
 
Nearly 30 community-based organizations gathered in Park’s cafeteria for the fair, which was designed to help the school’s families receive information about many valuable resources. Agency representatives spoke with people about ways to access housing, food, clothing, therapy, education, transportation, hygiene and cultural services. Dozens of families received pamphlets, contact information and heartfelt hugs throughout the afternoon and early evening.
 
Becky Henning helped organize the school’s inaugural fair with fellow school counselors. Henning, who works with sixth graders at Park, visited with local agencies after she and other Lincoln Public Schools employees talked about the possibility of having a fair. The positive reception to the idea set the stage for the successful November event.
 
“I was really pleased with the turnout of agencies and families,” Henning said after the fair. “Several agencies praised the organization and the opportunity to connect with our Park community. Many families left with information they would not have had otherwise.”
 
Mackenzie Koch said she was impressed with the way Park opened its doors to people across the area. Koch is director of club operations and program development at Boys and Girls Clubs of Lincoln/Lancaster County, which provides many educational opportunities for students.
 
“It’s huge to have something like this,” Koch said. “I talk with Park students a lot during the year, but to have this many people here in one place is amazing. It really helps spread the word about all of the services that are available for them.”
 
The local Boys and Girls Club chapter currently serves 140 Park youth. Alexis Rieck, program director at Park, plans activities that focus on academic success, citizenship and healthy lifestyles. Koch said her goal for the fair was to increase awareness about those programs.
 
“We want to invite as many people as we can,” Koch said.
 
CEDARS Youth Services representatives Kayla Jaskulski and Brianna O’Neill were also pleased with the fair. Both work with the organization’s community response initiative, which is available to any family in Lincoln or Lancaster County with children living at home.
 
O’Neill said it was important to talk with a large group of people. The community response program helps local residents develop positive parenting techniques and personal budgeting and job interviewing skills. It also provides access to resources that help with basic needs such as housing, utilities, food and transportation.
 
“There will be times when we’ll speak with someone and they’ll say, ‘I never knew that. This is so good to know,’” O’Neill said. “It’s a good feeling to know that we’re able to provide services that will help someone, and we want to help as many people as we can. Something like this really helps spread the message of what CEDARS offers.”
 
Henning and Park Principal Charlotte Everts worked together to plan the best date and time for the event. They and other school counselors wanted to maximize the number of potential visitors to the fair, and they felt having it on the same day as parent-teacher conferences would achieve that goal.
 
“I feel that pairing it with parent-teacher conferences was the best way to get the largest variety of families exposed to the resources,” Henning said. “It also was the right amount of time. We had a slower start because families were looking through the clothing we had available, but once the initial lull was over we had a pretty consistent stream.”
 
Park’s counseling center gathered hundreds of pieces of clothing that families could take home. School counselors filled a hallway near the main office with shirts, sweaters, pants and jeans for people to collect in bags.
 
Visitors then traveled to the cafeteria to visit with agencies. Nineteen tables filled one part of the cafeteria and other organizations set up booths in a hallway.
 
Henning said she was grateful to see many conversations happen between agency representatives and LPS employees. Koch, Jaskulski, O’Neill and others talked with Park teachers, administrators and school counselors throughout the event. The face-to-face meetings will help Park staff members provide important information to families throughout the school year.
 
“I also appreciated the connection the agencies made with our Park staff,” Henning said. “I look forward to our partnering in the future, which was made so much stronger through this event.”
 
Henning said she would love to have Park’s resource fair be an annual event. She has also heard interest from other LPS middle schools about having similar fairs at their buildings. Those events would allow local agencies to reach out their helping hands to even more people in Lincoln.
 
“The holidays and cold weather are coming up and it can be a really hard time for many families,” Henning said. “I really hope that even if a family didn’t need the support right now that they got the information and connection to share with others as well.”
 
LPS school counselors can provide residents with many helpful resources at their buildings. To learn more about our school counselors, visit our website at home.lps.org/counseling.
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 16, 2024

From shy to confident: The power of a literacy partnership between Dawes CLC and UNL

University of Nebraska-Lincoln senior Katie Wall watched with pride as a Dawes Middle School student spelled words with the sounds of ‘th,’ ‘ch’ and ‘sh’ in front of her.
 
Her literacy lesson at the Kit and Dick Schmoker Reading Center was a prime example of how a partnership between Dawes and UNL is setting up students for long-term success.
 
Leaders of the Dawes Community Learning Centers (CLC) program have teamed up with the Schmoker Reading Center (SRC) to provide extra literacy pillars for students. The partnership, which is in its second year, provides scholarships for Dawes students to travel to UNL’s East Campus twice each week. Six students took part in the program last year and three are being helped this year.

 
Jen Lesoing is a literacy coach and interventionist at Dawes and has spent time helping students at the SRC facility. She said the alliance has benefited everyone in many ways.
 
“I’m thrilled to see these students who put in extra work to improve their literacy skills be acknowledged,” Lesoing said. “The Kit and Dick Schmoker Reading Center has been a great partner for Dawes and a wonderful resource for students who need additional literacy support.”

 
Corben Jacobe said all three Diamondbacks who are attending SRC lessons this semester have blossomed academically, socially and emotionally. Jacobe is the school community coordinator for Dawes’ CLC program, which meets every day after school. He has watched them choose to join CLC activities such as vocal music and gardening because of their increased confidence.
 
“In CLC, they’ve just been livelier,” Jacobe said. “I wouldn’t say they were anti-social before, but they were definitely shyer, and they’ve fully come out of their shells because of this. It’s been really awesome to see that ever since that first day, they’re a brand-new kid. They’re more confident, more energetic, happier to be here.”
 
One of the Dawes students is completing her third semester with the SRC program. She said fellow Diamondbacks struggling with reading should not be afraid to ask for help with their literacy skills.
 
“Yes, you should go,” she said. “It can help you read and learn some more stuff.”

 
Wall and fellow SRC tutor Kathryn Boilesen said it has been inspiring to watch their Dawes students learn more about letters and sounds this semester. Wall is majoring in elementary education at UNL and Boilesen, a junior, is majoring in secondary special education.
 
“You see them day by day making little successes, and then you measure it at the end, and you see that, ‘Oh my goodness, we’ve seen a lot of successes,’” Boilesen said. “It’s very exciting.”
 
“There’s been a lot of progress,” Wall said. “We started with different assessments at the beginning of the year, and since then there’s been a lot of improvement. It’s really cool to see.”
 
Emily Fisher is co-director of the SRC and leads classes in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education at UNL. The former Dawes instructor said she has watched the program make noticeable impacts on both middle school and college students.
 
“One of the most magical parts about this program and this partnership is that I get to see the kids improve and I get to see the tutors improve, and the tutors realize that their students are improving because of the work that they have done, and that’s a really magical thing to see,” Fisher said.
 
“We’re teaching them, but they’re also teaching us how to become better teachers and how to get that specific information to them,” Wall said.

 
SRC tutors use multiple strategies to connect with students from across Lincoln in grades K-12. Wall spent time one afternoon asking her Dawes partner to spell words by writing them with frosting in a pan, and another Dawes student wrote words with red, green and yellow paint for her tutor. Boilesen has helped her Diamondback learn to read this semester with tools such as phonetic spelling sheets and popular children’s books.
 
Fisher said those activities help students decode a difficult language. For example, the sound of a long ‘a’ in English could be spelled with a-consonant-e, ai, ay, eigh or ey.
 
“We can give them the extra practice they need on different skills and patterns and concepts in a lot of different ways,” Fisher said. “We can provide them with even more scaffolds.”
 
Lesoing said the partnership aligns with the 2024-29 Lincoln Public Schools Strategic Plan in many ways. Students who become proficient in reading and writing are more likely to graduate, join school activities and expand their future career opportunities. The alliance also promotes family and community engagement throughout LPS, which strengthens students in all classrooms.
 
“Once they build that confidence in their reading, we see such a difference,” Lesoing said. “They want to be a part of class. They want to learn.”

 
Boilesen said her goal with the tutoring sessions is to help her Diamondback enjoy a successful reading future. She wants her literacy lessons to start a ripple effect that spreads in the coming weeks, months and years.
 
“Even if it’s just one reminder in class if they’re reading something and it’s like, ‘Oh, I did this at the reading center and I can apply it here,’ that would be my hope,” Boilesen said.

To learn more about our Lincoln Community Learning Centers, visit our website at https://clc.lps.org/.
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 16, 2024

Partners in Code: LPS showcases computer science education at community event

Humann Elementary School third grader Hazel smiled as she watched robotic caterpillars crawl around at one of the biggest computer science events of the year.

Hazel and her brother Victor joined hundreds of other students, parents and community members at the annual Lincoln Hour of Code and Tech Fair. More than 20 technology-based organizations helped visitors discover topics such as robotics, virtual reality, computer coding and software development.

Hazel said she was having fun at the event, which took place at Nebraska Innovation Campus. She said her favorite part was learning how to write computer code for robots.

“I’m excited,” Hazel said. “I like that you get to code robots.”

Hazel’s father, Carlos, said he brought his two children to the fair after receiving an invitation from Lisa Kollbaum, who teaches computer science and music at Humann. Kollbaum also publicized the fair to students throughout the school, and Hazel and Victor asked their father if they could go.

Carlos said he was happy to see how much technology knowledge his children already owned. Lincoln Public Schools has built an extensive computer science curriculum for students in all grade levels. The activities range from learning to type on keyboards as kindergarteners to taking advanced computer science classes as seniors.

“I didn’t know really the extent of their experience with these types of things already in school,” Carlos said. “So, they were talking about things like bee-bots and programming and things like that. I didn’t know they really knew what those things were, but those were the specific things they wanted to do when they came here.”

Caitlin Provance is coordinator of the school district’s computer science curriculum for K-5 students. She said the Hour of Code was a prime example of how community partnerships are helping everyone in Lincoln. LPS and other members of the CodeLNK organization came together to provide a day of free tech-based fun for everyone.

“Working with our community partners is really great here because it helps to promote that for our workforce within the community, as far as LPS’ role in teaching students more about computer science and the skills that they’re going to need to know when they get to the workforce,” Provance said. “So, events like this really do help out with making sure that Lincoln as a whole is working together to promote the future for our children.”

Lisa Kollbaum has led computer science and music classes at Humann for the past three years and has taught at LPS for 25 years. She also felt the local partnerships have paved many positive pathways in Lincoln. LPS, UNL, Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools and Lincoln Chamber of Commerce were some of the groups on site.

“I think there’s so many things out there that we might not know about, and when we partner together, I mean, we’re sharing that knowledge,” Kollbaum said. “As our kids are growing up through the LPS system, and then they take it to the next level where they’re going to college, it just connects all of what they’re learning.”

Hour of Code is a global initiative that introduces many computer science concepts to K-12 students and their families. Events are held across the world each December during Computer Science Education Week. 

The Huskers Chapter of the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) Nebraska organization hosted the first two Hour of Code fairs in Lincoln in 2013 and 2014. CodeLNK, which consists of local schools, postsecondary institutions and technology companies, began overseeing the event in 2015.

Carlos said the free-flowing nature of the fair made it appealing for his children. Students played virtual reality games, watched a robotic dog hop around and worked on laptops, tablets and smartphones.

“It’s good to see them approach all these different activities and engage in whatever they want to and then move on to the next when they feel like it,” Carlos said.

Kollbaum joined other LPS computer science teachers at one of the fair’s booths. They watched with excitement as children programmed small robots, worked on a code hopper game and browsed several coding books.

“It’s really great to see the kids interacting with the robotics,” Provance said. “It’s great to see the kids that are really visual, spatial thinkers, and having that opportunity to showcase their knowledge, to showcase all of their strengths, to see them light up when they solve the code. They may have struggled at first, but then they use their debugging skills, and then they solve the puzzle and get the robot where it needs to be.”

Kollbaum said Lincoln’s Hour of Code event was setting up students for long-term success. Four of her Humann students stopped her as she walked into the conference center, and she recognized at least 30 other Huskies during the day.

“I think it’s great for families to see what we’re doing and to see that this is hands-on learning which engages the kids so much in what they do,” Kollbaum said. “I mean, they love coming to computer science class because of the engagement they get and how practical it is in the real world, how it just translates from what they’re doing right now and how they’re going to be able to use it in the future.

“There’s jobs in the future that don’t exist right now, that we don’t even know what they’re going to be, and we’re preparing our kids for those jobs.”

To learn more about computer science education at LPS, visit our website at https://home.lps.org/cte/cs/. 

Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 13, 2024

Brilliant Ballet: McPhee students learn about choreography, costuming in school

Teagan, Ada and Taryn turned their love of dance and choreography into heartwarming lessons at McPhee Elementary School in early December. 

The three Lincoln Public Schools students joined leaders of the Lincoln Midwest Ballet Company (LMBC) in Backstage at the Ballet workshops. LMBC members taught the Mustangs about choreography, costuming and makeup during several class periods throughout the week. The entire school then gathered in the gym Dec. 5 for a performance of “The Nutcracker.”

Teagan attends Southeast High School, Ada is a student at Southwest High School and Taryn takes classes at East High School. All three said they were enjoying helping students practice classical ballet and dance movements during a morning session.

“Just seeing their reactions and the faces they make is super fun,” Ada said. “It’s cute.”

“I love seeing how excited they get,” Teagan said. “It’s just cool for them to be able to watch dancers perform right in front of them. It’s really neat.”

Shari True is the LMBC’s artistic director and has been leading dance classes since the 1980s. She has been an instrumental figure in Backstage at the Ballet, which has a goal of encouraging LPS students to explore fine arts such as dance. McPhee was selected to be this year’s host school for the program. 

True said it was exciting for the Mustangs to watch Teagan, Ada and Taryn display flexibility, agility, strength, endurance and balance in their workshops.

“I want them to understand that dance is athletic,” True said. “It requires all of the skills that every other sport does. The dancers that they saw today are athletes.”

True began the choreography workshop by talking to students about the physical benefits of dance. She said the standard length of a ballet is 90 minutes to two hours, which means everyone on stage must have each of the five athletic traits.

“Those are all skills in dance that we’re going to use,” True told a group of fourth graders. “We’ll be teaching all of those to you today.”

True led the class in stretching exercises before showing them movements from the second act of “The Nutcracker.” Students raised their hands, turned their legs and skipped on their feet for the next 30 minutes. The three high schoolers then led them in a short performance as ballet music played in the background.

Taryn said the experience could encourage many Mustangs to explore pursuing dance in the future.

“I feel like if they get to see it in their school at such a young age it’s easier to have your eyes opened to it and want to do it,” Taryn said. “Hopefully it will inspire them.”

At the same time, Maralee Maldavs was helping McPhee second graders become interested in the costuming angle of ballet. Maldavs is the LMBC’s head costumer and costume builder and guided students in a workshop in Megan Dworsky’s classroom.

Maldavs first showed students a full-sized Nutcracker headpiece. A bicycle helmet is attached to the inside of the head, and dancers wear the helmet when they put on the Nutcracker costumes. She also displayed several outfits from other members of the dance group at the beginning of class.

“There’s no talking during a ballet, so they have to wear the right costume when they’re on stage,” Maldavs said. “The costuming helps to show what’s going on.”

Students then had opportunities to design their own prince and princess costumes on paper. They used glue sticks to attach pieces of fabric to the outline of a person, and they then picked out jewels, ribbons and other artistic items from various trays. They placed those items on their paper dancers to finish their creations.

McPhee Principal Chris Boden said having the Mustangs participate in Backstage at the Ballet was a positive experience for everyone.

“This is such a wonderful thing to happen at our school,” Boden said. “I’m really glad our students were able to have this come here this year.”

Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 13, 2024

Five LPS students qualify for NU Presidential Scholars Program for perfect ACT scores

Five Lincoln Public Schools students aced their ACT tests with perfect scores – leading to a special honor from the University of Nebraska. 
 
Nicholas Li and Sarah Cai of East, Brayden Thelander of Northeast, Timofei Prakapchuk of Northwest and Ripley Becker of Southwest qualified for the university’s Presidential Scholars Program. 

The program provides a full-ride academic scholarship, plus a $5,000 annual stipend, to every high school student who graduates from a Nebraska high school, receives a perfect 36 on the ACT and attends any campus in the NU system. 

“Financially college is pretty heavy,” Thelander said. “So having that to basically cover a college journey is enough to alleviate some of that stress, hopefully, to let me perform better and then continue on with whatever I want to pursue.” 

Thelander plans to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and study emerging media arts. Northeast Principal Keri Applebee said Thelander’s accomplishment exemplifies the teaching and learning happening at her school. 

“It's because of amazing students, like Brayden, who take opportunities to learn and grow so seriously, in conjunction with a wonderful staff that teaches and fosters a learning growth set in our scholars that make honors like the one Brayden is receiving possible,” Applebee said. 

NU President Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D. and LPS Superintendent Paul Gausman recognized the scholars in front of friends, family and other local dignitaries at the Steve Joel District Leadership Center during a celebration in early December. 

“Thank you to you who have supported these scholars with your unwavering encouragement,” Gausman said. “You fostered an environment where learning and perseverance flourishes and were these students’ champions in moments of both triumph and challenge.” 

Prakapchuk, who is interested in majoring in computer science or business administration, said he first got a 32 on the exam without studying. Then, he decided to challenge himself and prepare more, like taking the LPS ACT prep course to see if he could achieve the top score. After a few more tries, he finally reached his goal. 

“I ran around the house,” he said. ”It was a great feeling to know I got this.” 

He also made history for his school by being the first from Northwest to earn a perfect ACT score. He is on track to graduate early from high school. 

“Timofei's achievement of being the first at Northwest to achieve this is just fantastic for our school,” Northwest Principal Cedric Cooper said. “His brilliance and dedication shine through, and I hope it inspires other students to chase their dreams with the same passion and focus.”

NU launched the Presidential Scholars program earlier this fall and welcomed 17 Nebraska students in its inaugural cohort. Gold said the university wanted to start the program to send a clear signal to high-achieving students that the school values them. 

“The University of Nebraska is an excellent institution, but we are working to aspire to something beyond excellent in every aspect of what we do,” Gold said. “That includes the educational opportunities for our students. It includes keeping our top students here and making sure they are supported and challenged.”

NU recently announced its plan to expand the opportunity to up to 50 of the state’s top students by adding other top scorers with the perfect ACT test takers for fall 2025. 

If you or your scholar are interested in preparing for the ACT exam, visit our website at https://home.lps.org/act-testprep/ to learn more about the LPS ACT Test Prep.

Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 10, 2024

Anatomage Table helps Northwest students pursue healthcare dreams

Northwest High School students Charlotte and Nicholas stood in amazement as they watched the entire circulatory system of a human body appear on a state-of-the-art research table.
 
They then explored how the blood travels around the body by zeroing in on the head, arms, legs and feet of a life-sized three-dimensional image.

 
The two Falcons are using the Anatomage Table to pursue their healthcare dreams in the Bryan College of Health Sciences (BCHS) Focus Program. The high-tech digital platform allows students to perform hundreds of virtual scientific experiments on an interactive computer. They can complete virtual dissections, view human tissues on a cellular level and explore a library of more than 1,000 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans.
 
Charlotte and Nicholas both said the Anatomage Table has been a game-changing piece of equipment for them. Charlotte, a senior, is planning to become a general surgeon after completing college and medical school. Nicholas, a junior, is contemplating several types of healthcare careers.
 
“I think it really gets that early onset of exposure to the body that I wouldn’t otherwise have from just textbooks and paper,” Nicholas said. “It’s a really cool hands-on experience.”
 
“I would say it’s definitely giving me a head start, because I know a lot of people who take courses like this, and they don’t have tools like this, so I’m definitely getting a jump start on it,” Charlotte said.
 
Katherine Karcher and Cindy Larson-Miller said they have been thrilled with the learning opportunities the table has created. Karcher is director of high school outreach programs at BCHS, and Larson-Miller is the science department chairperson at Northwest. Both said the Anatomage Table has generated many currents of educational electricity for students.
 
“To see those light bulbs go off, that’s a teacher’s favorite moment, I would say,” Karcher said. “One of the things that it has been so good for is piquing that curiosity. Students are just so curious about how things work, especially about how the human body works when it relates to anatomy.”
 
“One of my favorite things about teaching in general is to hear kids go, ‘Oh,’ and that happens all the time on this table,” Larson-Miller said. “It’s, ‘Oh my gosh, look at that!’ or ‘That’s so cool, look what you can do here!’ or ‘I never thought it looked like that!’ or ‘Why is the intestine that color?’ They can ask questions and think about things in a different way than they would if they were just reading about it or watching a video about it.”
 
BCHS Focus Program students first learned that Anatomage Tables existed when they saw one at a Nebraska Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) State Leadership Conference. They immediately told Larson-Miller that they needed to have a table in their classroom, and Larson-Miller soon realized how valuable the tool could be.
 
The Anatomage Table is a large computer that features many specialized software applications. The BCHS Focus Program model includes images of five cadavers of people who donated their bodies to science. Workers at Anatomage – the company that made the table – cut the cadavers and took digital photos of each part of the bodies. They then virtually reassembled and compiled all of the photos into 3D-rendered images for students to learn from.
 
Karcher’s predecessor, Jason States, worked with both Larson-Miller and Jason Thomsen, the curriculum specialist for career and technical education (CTE) at Lincoln Public Schools, on the project. They shared ideas with a BCHS grant writer who submitted a proposal to the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE).
 
The NDE awarded the BCHS Focus Program nearly $85,000 through a reVISION Action Grant to purchase the table. State officials felt the equipment aligned well with the purpose of the reVISION Action Grant initiative, which is to improve, modernize and expand CTE programs.
 
Charlotte said she has enjoyed using the table since it arrived at Northwest this summer. She and other BCHS Focus Program students have already made many discoveries on it. Unlike a cadaver, which can be dissected only once, bodies in the Anatomage Table’s library can be digitally cut and reassembled as many times as needed.
 
“We’ve studied anatomy in the textbooks, but actually being able to see something like that in person is, it’s just really cool,” Charlotte said.
 
Nicholas said the Anatomage Table is also influencing decisions about his own personal health. One of the cadavers included in the table’s library is of a person who died from a tumor in his chest. Students have been able to see how the tumor affected the patient and possible reasons for its formation.
 
“When I saw the tumor in his chest, it was very likely caused by just behaviors and habits that he may have picked up over his life, so when I think about my future and if I don’t want to go down that path, it’s an awakening when you think about it,” Nicholas said.
 
Karcher said the Anatomage Table will continue to help students like Charlotte and Nicholas pursue their healthcare dreams for many years to come.
 
“It is above and beyond expectations for all of the things that it has allowed us to do, and we’re just so excited to keep learning more about it,” Karcher said.

To learn more about the Bryan College of Health Sciences Focus Program at Northwest, visit our website at https://healthsciences.lps.org/. 
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 10, 2024

Coding Confidence: Adams students design video games from computer class lessons

Adams Elementary School students created the keywords of “fun,” “happy” and “exciting” this fall with their newfound computer coding knowledge.
 
Fourth graders in Mary Abebe’s computer classes built their own video games through innovative design lessons. They learned how to write computer code for items such as falling pizzas, happy kittens and gem-gathering characters during the semester. They then tested each other’s designs and helped them fix glitches in their algorithms, scripts and variables.

 
Emma and Braden worked together to create a game that contained almost two pages of computer code. In their game, a chicken tries to collect point-scoring gems while hopping from platform to platform. Players who gather all three gems on the first level advance to the game’s final stage, where there are another three gems to pick up.
 
At the same time, the chicken characters must avoid running into pizzas that are falling from the sky. Players win the game if they dodge all of the pizzas and reach 15 points by the end of Level 2.
 
Emma said if she could rate her level of game-coding fun on a scale of one to ten, it would be “a 100.”
 
“I want to do this every day in class,” Emma said.
 
Braden said it was exciting to get feedback on their game from their classmates. Students gathered in teams of two or three to review each creation in early December. They could look at each game’s code, examine its storyline and make suggestions if something wasn’t working on the screen.
 
“It’s really fun to have them be able to see our game and how we built it,” Braden said.
 
Caitlin Provance is coordinator of the K-5 computer science curriculum at Lincoln Public Schools. LPS uses material from an educational nonprofit called Code.Org as the foundation for its elementary coursework. The lessons teach children many important skills that they can use in other school subjects.
 
“With this being such an engaging unit of study, students often don’t realize they are learning some pretty challenging concepts,” Provance said. “In addition to applying their knowledge from computer science, students are utilizing their experiences from the classroom such as math skills and storytelling to create their video games. Video game design helps to strengthen the skills of problem-solving, creativity, perseverance and collaboration.”

 
Code.Org released a video game design unit for fourth graders for the first time this year. Emma, Braden and their classmates began having some exposure to video game design in first grade, but this was the most demanding coding platform they had encountered.
 
“We use Code.Org all the time because it’s our main curriculum that we work from, but they’ve never had to create a game in Code.Org, and it’s a little bit different from the other apps that we use,” Abebe said. “For their first time, they did a great job.”
 
Lanie and Rozie said they were happy to have successfully worked through all of the coding challenges. They built a game called “Rainbow Madness” that featured a kitten as the main character. Players who used the kitten to collect four rainbows were rewarded with a happy bubble image.
 
“We’ve coded a different game (before), but it wasn’t as hard as this,” Rozie said.
 
“Sometimes we would get everything, and then we would want to add a new thing, and it would mess up something else,” Lanie said. “We just had to make mistakes and try new things.”

 
Ruby and Aubrey also based their game on kittens. They called it “Kitty Escape” and asked players to rescue every kitten within seven seconds. Players also had to avoid other animals during their adventures.
 
“One of my favorite things about this game is that we could say it was raining cats and dogs,” Ruby said.
 
Aubrey said she and Ruby felt a sense of accomplishment from the design process. They learned about the behaviors of characters and objects, how to animate them and how to make them interactive in their games. They also discovered how to program and modify the code so data would change based on player interaction.
 
“I was telling her how crazy it was that we went from a square background to an entire video game in just a couple of days,” Aubrey said.
 
Students also strengthened skills such as unity and empathy in the class. Oliver alerted Abebe about a coding glitch that appeared in his team’s game, and she asked the other fourth graders to inspect the code from their laptops. Everyone dropped what they were doing and came together for a solution.
 
“It makes me feel special that everybody is taking their own time to work on a game that we needed help with,” Oliver said. “I worked on Sunday at home to do this to try and get this to work so it could be ready, and something that we were working on must have gone wrong, and everybody here helped us. I really liked that.”
 
“I love how they work together,” Abebe said. “That’s my favorite thing.”
 
Teammates Parker and Ethan said experiencing those keywords of “cooperation” and “helpfulness” made the video game process a winning part of their school day.
 
“It was good,” Parker said. “I liked it. It was fun.”

Want to try a few of the students' games? Click the links below to play. 

Super Pizza Chicken

Don't Eat the Broccoli

Rainbow Madness

To learn more about our computer science curriculum, visit our Career and Technical Education page at https://home.lps.org/cte/cs/. 

 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 10, 2024

LPS Superintendent Paul Gausman announces retirement

On Friday, Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Paul Gausman announced in a letter to staff, families and the community a transition plan for his retirement as superintendent at the end of December. The Lincoln Board of Education will vote on the transition plan as part of the consent agenda at an upcoming regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10.

“My time here as superintendent has brought about even stronger feelings of regard for the people who make LPS and the community of Lincoln so remarkable,” said Gausman. “It is, therefore, bittersweet that I announce today that I will retire from the LPS superintendency at the end of this calendar year and from LPS at the end of June 2025.”

Gausman joined Lincoln Public Schools in July of 2022, coming from Sioux City, Iowa where he served as superintendent since 2014. Prior to joining the Sioux City Community School District, Gausman also worked at West Central School District and Sioux Falls School District in South Dakota, Millard West High School in Omaha, Lincoln Northeast High School and at Wisner-Pilger Public Schools.

Gausman also said in his letter, “I have determined that while 20 years in the public eye as a superintendent of schools has been vastly rewarding, it is time for me to explore other opportunities.”

In order to ensure a smooth transition and minimize the disruption for the school district, Gausman will retire from his superintendent duties on Dec. 27, and work with district leadership and the Board as a superintendent emeritus until the end of June 2025. In this position he will be available to consult and advise as needed on initiatives that are being worked on.

Per Board policy 2410, LPS Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs Liz Standish will step in as interim starting Dec. 28 until the Board determines the next steps at their Jan. 14 regular meeting.

“On behalf of the Board, we would like to thank Dr. Gausman for his service to Lincoln Public Schools and wish him the very best in his future endeavors,” said Board President Bob Rauner. “Paul took over the leadership of LPS during a time when we as a district were recovering from a global pandemic. As our new data shows, our graduation rates have now recovered to and exceed our pre-pandemic graduation rates.”

“I was, I am, and will continue to be one of the greatest advocates and supporters of the Lincoln Public Schools,” signed Gausman.

You can read the full letter from Superintendent Gausman to the families and community below. 

December 6, 2024

To the Lincoln community and Lincoln Public Schools families:

The Lincoln Public Schools are a shining example of what is good and positive in American Public Schools.

I have the highest regard for the Lincoln Public Schools and our community partners. When I taught instrumental music 30 years ago at Lincoln Northeast High School, I learned that LPS is truly special. I spent the next thirty years honing my knowledge and skills as an educator and school administrator in other states, including working as a public school superintendent for 20 years now. I am most proud of the LPS accomplishments of which I have been a small part but that we have experienced together and

• The development of a new Strategic Plan for the District focusing on
• Student Wellbeing and Outcomes
• Staff Wellbeing and Outcomes
• Family and Community Engagement
• District Systems and Operations
• The implementation of our new student behavior framework focusing on Prevention, Accountability, and Restoration (PAR) as well as other student behavior initiatives, including:
• The installation of vape detection devices in all high schools
• The implementation of a cell phone program to remove the digital device distraction from the instructional arena
• The use of an electronic hall pass system to increase safety and prioritize classroom instruction
• Implementation of staff culture, retention, and recruitment programs, including:
• “Grow Your Own” initiatives to prepare high school students for a career in education
• A program to assist current paraprofessionals to gain their teaching certificate to serve in district preschool classrooms
• The communication feature for staff to be in direct contact with the superintendent of schools to ask questions and share ideas for improvement
• Significant growth in the Four-Year Graduation Rate
• Growth in the District's Early Childhood Program
• A plan to add twelve new Early Childhood Classrooms to the district inventory, now under construction
• Growth in students enrolled at the Career Academy and participating in our eleven High School Focus Programs
• Over $2 Million raised in two years to bring closure to the LPS Foundation’s “Fielding Dreams” Campaign

It is, therefore, bittersweet that I announce today that I will retire from the LPS superintendency at the end of this calendar year and from LPS at the end of June 2025. I have determined that while 20 years in the public eye as a superintendent of schools has been vastly rewarding, it is time for me to explore other opportunities. I informed the Board of Education of my decision in November, and we agreed to a transition process to have me become Superintendent Emeritus starting in January for the Spring semester, where I will assist the district leaders and the board, as they desire, for consultation and support.

I was, I am, and will continue to be one of the greatest supporters and advocates of the Lincoln Public Schools.

Thank you,

Dr. Paul Gausman | Superintendent of Schools
Lincoln Public Schools

Posted on December 06, 2024

LPS students showcase cooking skills in 2024 LPS Culinary Competition

More than 200 Lincoln Public Schools students faced off in the 19th annual LPS Culinary Competition at Southeast Community College.

Young chefs from all LPS high schools and The Career Academy competed in early December to showcase their knowledge and talent in various events, including dessert plating, cooking entrees as a team and knife skills. 

LPS students in Culinary I, II and III classes were allowed to participate in the challenge. The Family and Consumer Sciences courses help students gear up for the competition by learning important lessons in food preparation, nutrition and safety and sanitation. Educators believe the lessons will develop their scholars’ passion for food and will lead to possible careers in food service and hospitality. 

When not racing the clock in various competitive events, participants could also tour SCC and explore their futures during the College and Career Fair. 

Several local organizations helped make the event possible including the University of Nebraska - Lincoln,  Nebraska Department of Education to School program, SCC, Central Community College, Scooters-Metcalf Coffee, Chick-fil-A, Legacy Retirement Communities and Baxter Auto. 

Check out the final results and highlights of the 2024 LPS Culinary Competition below. 

2024 LPS Culinary Competition Results 

Culinary I events 

Knife Skills – 34 entries 

1st place: Blaise McCurdy, East   

2nd place: Alexandria Hansen, East  

3rd place: Mina Lahm, Northeast 

Quiz Bowl  – seven teams 

1st place: Standing Bear (Bella Nielsen, Ember Lee, Ethan Dilley and Cally Sullivan)

2nd place: Lincoln High (Axton Wicks, Paul Beinke, Kaleigh Stockard-Smith and Kaleigh Eppes)

Nutrition Poster – 22 entries 

1st place: Payton Wilken, Northeast 

2nd place: Sydney Wyatt, Southwest 

3rd place: Lillian Rezac, Southeast 

Culinary II events 

Quiz Bowl – six teams 

1st place: Standing Bear (Novalee Hutter, Brinley Beerenstrauch, Macy Alessandro and Janet Kovalenko)

2nd place: East (Taylor Hilker, Kaleigh Alger, Jon Debus and Haiden Staab) 

Safety and Sanitation Poster –  15 entries 

1st place: Selena Ma, Lincoln High 

2nd place: Jaxson Daugherty, Southeast

3rd place: Kaleligh Alger and Mackenzie Vodehna, East 

Sauces –  21 entries 

1st place: Izzy Lacey, Northwest

2nd place: Sam Heaston, The Career Academy 

3rd place: Sally Almo, Southwest

Salads –  15 entries 

1st place: Sam Abak, Standing Bear

2nd place: Ava Barrientez and Lillian Varley, Southeast

3rd place: Ashely Periz Ortiz, Lincoln High

Decorated Cookie: Royal Icing – eight entries 

1st place: Lauren Maw, Southeast

2nd place: Hailey Wagner, Southwest

3rd place: Shahad Al Bane Hasan, Southeast

Decorated Cookie: Buttercream Icing –  25 entries 

1st place: Jaslynn Almazan, Southeast

2nd place: Shayla Vasey-Sievert, Lincoln High

3rd place: Macy Alessandro, Standing Bear

Culinary III events 

Dessert Plating – 13 entries 

1st place: Rachel Koch, East  

2nd place: Milanna Ustimchuk, Northwest

3rd place: Parker Littrell, The Career Academy 

Team Entree Competition (Academy Division) –  two entries 

1st place: The Career Academy team 1 (Sophie Wilder, Henry Alvarez and Addison Hoage)

2nd place: The Career Academy team 2 (Riley Boon and Ruby Lyon)

Team Entree Competition (High School Division) – five entries 

1st place: Southwest Green team (Sam Cederberg, Prince Goronga and Mikayla Vauiso)

2nd place: Southeast team 2 (Makenna Sherman, Angel Bradford and Ghadeer Al-Haikal) 

3rd place: Lincoln High Grease Bandits team (Brycen Hoffman, Finn Steele and Keyonte’ Goodman)

School Spirit Award 

Awarded to schools that showcased school spirit, attentiveness and participation in demonstrating excellent sportsmanship during the Culinary Competition

Standing Bear  

Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 05, 2024

Fund a Need campaign helps Huntington students build confidence

Ashley and Arthur left Huntington Elementary School’s gymnasium full of confidence after building plastic skyscrapers in their physical education class.
 
Hundreds of Huntington students enjoyed similar proud moments in November and December during cup stacking activities. They increased their hand-eye coordination, improved their problem-solving skills and learned about teamwork through the cup stacking challenges.
 
Ashley and Arthur joined a dozen other second grade classmates on mats on the gym floor one afternoon. Ashley beamed as a picture of a 12-cup-tall formation came up on a projector screen. She raised her hands to display why those were her favorite type of cup structures to create.
 
“I like to build it tall, tall, tall,” she said.

 
Arthur said he liked building things with the multicolored cups, especially if they formed curved walls. Did he have any advice for first-time cup stackers?
 
“You just have to focus and make sure you place them in the right place,” Arthur said.

 
Physical education teacher Gwen Zedrick learned about cup stacking challenges when she attended a physical education conference while in college. She began leading P.E. classes at Huntington in 2023, and former Kooser Elementary School teacher Shayla Ruth shared her materials with Zedrick to use in her classes.
 
Huntington Principal Kristi Schirmer enjoyed watching Zedrick teach cup stacking during a formal observation last year. Schirmer suggested Zedrick use the Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools Fund a Need program to purchase the school’s own set of stacking cups for students to use.

The Foundation’s Fund a Need program is a crowdfunding tool that connects donors to identified classroom needs. The Foundation raised the entire $684.16 that was requested within two weeks through a D F Dillon Foundation grant. Those funds allowed Huntington to buy the new equipment in time for students to use this year.

Zedrick said she was impressed with the reaction to the Fund a Need campaign.
 
“It was a really simple way to ask the community to support our schools,” Zedrick said. “The response was amazing.”
 
Younger students like Ashley and Arthur spend much of their time solving challenges with the cups. They began one class by looking at pictures of different ways to stack six cups on a mat. One photo showed a vertical formation and others featured lines of cups. They then had to solve the puzzle in a certain amount of time.
 
The solutions became tougher after each student expanded their lineup of cups. They grinned as they built formations with nine and 12 cups in speedy fashion. Ashley said it was fun to match the pictures right in front of her.
 
“I can do something big and small, and I can do my best at it,” Ashley said.
 
Older Huntington students have stacking cup competitions in their classes. They race to see who can first build the structure that is shown on a screen. Some of the six-cup tests are simple and can be done in less than ten seconds, while towers with nine or 12 cups can be more complicated to complete.

 
Zedrick said students benefit from cup stacking in many ways. Researchers have discovered that cup stacking activates both sides of a student’s brain, which develops new connections that encourage brain growth. This helps them enjoy greater success in academic, social and emotional arenas.
 
Students of all athletic abilities are able to compete head-to-head with their classmates, which raises self-confidence and increases their willingness to set and achieve goals. Zedrick’s students also complete several tests with partners during each class, which boosts communication and teamwork skills.
 
Zedrick said cup stacking also helps to heighten everyone’s self-esteem in school.
 
“We’re working on saying kind words to ourselves,” Zedrick said. “This is a new challenge for them. Some of them find it easy right away, but most find it pretty challenging, so we’re practicing saying kind words as we’re working on a challenge. We’re learning how to learn without getting frustrated at ourselves.”
 
Zedrick said she is grateful to have firsthand knowledge of the positive impact that Fund a Need campaigns make in the community. She said smiles from students like Ashley and Arthur are reminders of the generosity found in Lincoln.
 
“It’s really great,” Zedrick said. “It’s nice that we were able to get a great donation and have our own equipment.”
 
The Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools is sponsoring more than 35 Fund a Need campaigns throughout the school district. The requested items range from musical instruments for elementary students to shoes for high school athletes.  

To learn more specific Fund a Need Campaigns or other ways to support LPS, visit the foundation’s website at https://www.foundationforlps.org/. 
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 04, 2024

Northeast students build bridges with retirees at intergenerational art show

Northeast High School students showcased their structural engineering knowledge this fall when they built relationship-based bridges with retired residents.
 
The Rockets used the construction tools of conversation, laughter and empathy to create memorable artwork for Eastmont Retirement Community residents. Dozens of people filled Eastmont’s performing arts center to view pottery pieces in “Bridging the Gap: An Intergenerational Art Show.” The room was full of smiles as retirees saw their personalized projects for the first time.
 
Northeast senior Issainah and Eastmont resident Joyce formed a genuine friendship during the project this semester. They connected for the first time in September during face-to-face meetings at Eastmont. That experience helped Issainah create a piece of pottery that brought a huge smile to Joyce’s face.
 
“It was very sweet,” Issainah said. “She was very kind, and I loved listening to her stories and realizing how much we had in common, like our love for music. We both enjoy music. We were both in multiple choirs growing up, and it was really fun to see that we’re almost like the same person.”
 
“It was very special to meet her,” Joyce said. “She’s just sweet, and she really does have a lot of talent. Just the intricate flowers that she did on her pottery were amazing. She’s really, really good. I hope she’s able to pursue and do what she wants in life.”
 
Northeast junior Skyler also said he enjoyed the intergenerational project. He made a brown pottery bowl entitled “Jazz” for the art show. He painted a yellow musical instrument next to a double note on one side of his kiln-fired piece.
 
“I just thought it’d be fun and they’d like it,” Skyler said.
 
Northeast art teacher Janai Robinson said the project was meaningful for members of her Pottery 1 class. Not only did students increase their artmaking skills, but they also forged friendships with people who walked in their shoes decades earlier.
 
“Even though our kids go to school, they’re still connected to the community,” Robinson said. “We’re not separated. We’re one, and them reaching out to the community is kind of giving back. They get to benefit from that by hearing their stories.”
 
Robinson and Eastmont Community Relations Manager Michaela Williams led a brainstorming session earlier this fall about the project. They created a plan that included personal interviews in September, a follow-up meeting on Zoom and an art show in mid-November.
 
“Anytime we can promote and host and collaborate with any school system of any age is a win for us,” Williams said. “I think humans need to be together at all ages, and intergenerational programming is what we really work to do here. We do that a lot with music, so it’s nice to do it with art too.”
 
Issainah and other students asked seniors about their personal experiences growing up. What was their first job? When did they get their first car? What did they enjoy doing in school? They then incorporated those answers into ideas for their artwork.
 
“It helped seeing the world through someone else’s eyes and getting to build a piece with a story from their life,” Issainah said. “It was a really good creative exercise, because it forced me to think outside of the box and not of just what I see, but of what she sees.”
 
After Issainah learned Joyce loved singing, she drew a heart-shaped bowl that was featured on a projector screen at the show. Her artwork was green and yellow and featured a full musical scale in the middle of it.
 
Issainah then created a second heart-shaped pottery piece that was tan, white and brown. It was displayed on a long rectangular table alongside other artwork from students. Visitors also viewed coasters that retirees made for their younger project partners.
 
Joyce sings in a local chorus throughout the year, and the group was wrapping up a performance at another assisted living facility when the art show started. Issainah watched with excitement as Joyce walked in the door after returning to Eastmont from the recital. Both immediately went over to Issainah’s pottery and began talking about their positive experience together.
 
“I think it’s very creative,” Joyce said. “It’s just great for the kids to have this opportunity.”
 
Each Eastmont senior could decide which personalized artwork they wanted to keep based on space in their living quarters. Northeast students kept the rest of the pottery and coaster pieces to display in their homes.
 
Joyce said the project reinforced her positive view of today’s youth. She said Issainah was a leader and role model for both older and younger generations in Lincoln.
 
“She likes music and art and acting and everything else,” Joyce said. “She’s very delightful.”
 
Robinson said she believes the relationship bridges that students built with seniors will remain strong for many years to come.
 
“They made the time and that’s what counts,” Robinson said. “That’s what matters. They may not see it right now, but it’ll make a difference for the community.”

To learn more about our art curriculum, visit our website at https://home.lps.org/art/. 
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 04, 2024

Two LPS graduates return to help students with visual impairments

Brandon Peters and Sam Bomberger are paying it forward at Lincoln Public Schools by passing along their knowledge to students with visual impairments.
 
Both LPS graduates are using their personal experiences with visual impairments to guide others this fall. Peters is a vision paraeducator who works primarily at Southwest High School, and Bomberger creates districtwide Braille materials from her office at the Hawthorne Education Building.
 
Ben Lytle and Anne Wilson are both teachers of students with visual impairments (TSVI) at LPS. They said Peters and Bomberger are influencing many people across Lincoln in their new jobs.
 
“It has been a true privilege to work alongside Brandon and Sam, knowing they were once students we supported in the classroom,” Lytle said. “Their contributions have made a profound impact on our students, and they continue to make a difference each and every day.”
 
“I would agree with Ben and add that Sam and Brandon add their real-life experiences for students and TSVIs to learn from,” Wilson said. “They represent people with disabilities in the workforce and serve as role models for all our students with visual impairments. In addition to their LPS jobs, they collaborate with all TSVIs to help students access and succeed in the educational system and other environments around them.”
 
Brandon Peters
 
Peters, a Southwest graduate, travels to his alma mater every day to help students. He works with one student on an in-person basis at Southwest, and he teaches lessons to two other students through Zoom technology. He also visits with a fourth student outside Southwest on a biweekly basis.
 
“I really enjoy doing what I do, especially being a mentor,” Peters said.

 
Peters moved to Lincoln with his family when he was five years old and attended classes at Eastridge Elementary School. He studied at both Scott Middle School and Southwest before heading to Nebraska Wesleyan University. He graduated from NWU with a degree in modern language studies and can speak Spanish fluently.
 
Peters said he is grateful for the opportunity to provide a shared experience with his students. They are aware that he is also visually impaired, which has helped him quickly build trusting connections with them.
 
“Every blind person that I’ve told that I’m helping these kids in this way has said they wished they had someone like me growing up,” Peters said. “I think having a blind mentor in these kids’ lives is very transformative.”

 
Peters participated in the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) career mentoring program for several years. One of his NFB highlights was traveling to the 2019 national convention in Las Vegas. He flew to the convention with a group ahead of his family and enjoyed meeting many people there.
 
“It was my first time going by myself, and it was kind of nerve wracking, but it was good,” Peters said.

 
Peters teaches computer skills such as copying, pasting and desktop navigation to LPS students. He also helps them learn about important educational tools such as screen reading technology.
 
“Brandon has excelled in applying his expertise in access technology for students with visual impairments, effectively fostering opportunities for equitable participation alongside their peers in the classroom,” Lytle said.
 
Peters said he has experienced many encouraging moments this fall. One of those positive memories came when he helped a student send an email to his TSVI. The child felt more confident afterwards and wanted to continue practicing the newly-acquired skill.
 
“Honestly, it felt pretty awesome doing that,” Peters said.
 
Sam Bomberger
 
Bomberger connects with students across LPS through her work as a Braillist. She transcribes a wide range of materials into Braille formats for all grade levels.
 
Bomberger took elementary classes at both Saratoga and Prescott and continued her LPS education at Irving Middle School. She earned her high school diploma from Southwest.
 
Bomberger said it has been fulfilling helping future LPS graduates every day.
 
“It’s really great,” Bomberger said. “It’s why I applied for the job in the first place. I had such great support when I was in school, and I wanted to provide that support for current students.”

 
Karen Meints has been a Braillist at LPS for 15 years and is mentoring Bomberger in their shared office. She said Bomberger is already making a positive mark with her work ethic and intelligence.
 
“It’s very encouraging,” Meints said. “Sam’s done really well. I’m impressed, because I’ve worked with a couple of other transcribers over the years, and Sam’s taken to it faster than the rest of them.”
 
Bomberger said Wilson and fellow TSVIs Jill Ihde and Diane Ditmars all played key roles in her LPS upbringing. She said they inspired her to pursue the same type of rewarding educational path.
 
“These two lovely people, along with Anne Wilson, were a fundamental part of my schooling experience and journey toward Braille literacy,” Bomberger said.

 
Louis Braille invented the Braille literacy system in 1824 in France. The Braille code includes 63 characters that are formed from a combination of one to six raised dots. The dots are arranged in a cell system and then embossed in lines on paper. People read Braille items by passing their fingers over the embossed dots.
 
Bomberger transcribes everything from lunch menus to song lyrics to textbooks for LPS students. She uses computer programs to write many Braille formats, and she works with a typewriter-like machine called a Perkins Brailler to manually transcribe other items.
 
Bomberger has also learned how to create tactile charts and graphics. This allows students to access many types of information that are not presented in traditional Braille manuscripts.
 
Bomberger honed her craft by taking part in Braille Challenge competitions while growing up. The contests include four separate timed tests that measure Braille abilities in reading comprehension, proofreading, speed/accuracy and charts/graphs. Bomberger qualified for the Braille Challenge Finals three times and traveled to Los Angeles for the national contests.
 
“It really helped me learn the code and master it,” Bomberger said. “I’m really grateful for that opportunity.”

 
Bomberger is supplementing her deep reservoir of Braille wisdom by learning more about current software programs and educational materials. Meints said she believes Bomberger will be able to pass along that knowledge to LPS students for many years to come.
 
“She knows Braille really well,” Meints said. “She knows the code, so that’s a big help. That’s usually what most people who start this job have to learn, and she doesn’t have to do that. She’s doing an awesome job.”
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 03, 2024

Southeast, Southwest students earn top prize in high school journalism

Journalists in two Lincoln Public Schools classrooms created successful headlines this fall with their work on award-winning print publications.
 
Students at Southeast High School and Southwest High School earned major honors at the 2024 Nebraska High School Press Association Fall Convention. Members of Southeast’s newspaper staff and Southwest’s yearbook team returned to their campuses with the Cornhusker Award. It is the top honor that high school newspaper, yearbook, broadcast and online journalism staff can receive each year.
 
The Knights and Silver Hawks continued their traditions of showcasing the positive impact printed words and photos have at their schools. Southeast’s newspaper – The Clarion – won the Cornhusker Award for the second time in the past three years. Southwest’s yearbook – The Talon – earned the award for the fifth time in the past six years.
 
Southeast High School
 
The close-knit nature of The Clarion’s staff helped the Knights capture their Cornhusker Award. Senior Jarod and sophomore Myla both said they were happy when Southeast’s name was announced as one of the recipients. Myla is copy editor this year and Jarod serves as sports editor.
 
“It was really exciting,” Myla said. “We have such a small staff, but it was exciting to know that all the work we put in last year really meant something.”
 
“It’s definitely a close staff, and I think that’s what makes us able to achieve things like the Cornhusker,” Jarod said. “We’re not selfish, we’re not trying to do anything that’s just for us. It’s all for the school and the newspaper staff in general.”
 
Seniors Georgia and Maren are co-editors of both the newspaper and broadcast teams this year. They lead a journalism department that produces a steady stream of social media, newspaper, magazine, broadcast, podcast and online content. Advisor Brianne Clark has helped all of the Knights increase the amount of important material that fellow students can enjoy.
 
“Both of us have been in it since freshman year, so it’s fun to see how the newspaper itself has grown,” Georgia said. “We’ve gone from mainly doing a magazine once or twice a year and online stories to doing actual newspapers that we’re bringing out. It’s just a cool experience to be able to learn what you want to learn.”
 
Fewer than a dozen Knights produce all of the stories, photos and graphics that appear in the newspaper’s pages every month. Maren said it was a good feeling to know that the small-but-mighty team was every bit the equal of much larger staffs at the state conference.
 
“I was proud that we were able to produce such high-quality work, and so much high-quality work, and I think that’s what sets us apart from a lot of other schools that were there,” Maren said. “The other schools that were there, they’re amazing, but something that is maybe different about us is how much content we put out with such a small staff.
 
“It goes to show how talented our writers are. Our writers write three stories for the newspaper every time, and they’re in-depth and good and award-winning, so I think it just goes to show how talented the people are on our staff who contribute to the newspaper.”
 
Sophomore Lily is one of those writers. Her mom has a degree in journalism, and Lily felt she might be interested in pursuing a similar career. She immediately found success with her craft, as she finished sixth in the Class A entertainment review writing category at last year’s state contest.
 
Lily said the Cornhusker Award was additional evidence that the Knights are doing good things with their headlines, bylines and storylines.
 
“It’s a big deal,” Lily said. “This is my second year, so I don’t know what it was like before that, but I think it’s really cool for our school to have a paper like this.”
 
Georgia and Maren said one of their goals is to encourage more Southeast students to become journalists. They would like to see The Clarion’s numbers increase throughout the second semester.
 
“Once you join, I feel like you connect with it,” Georgia said. “There are so many people who have stayed on who have done such good work.”
 
“It’s a great opportunity,” Maren said. “I’m really thankful for it. It’s so cool to be surrounded by so many talented people and see their creativity and see them grow over the years.”
 
Southwest High School
 
Southwest students claimed their Cornhusker Award by compiling a yearbook with the theme “Nothing We Can’t Do.” Khloe served as editor last year and is repeating the feat as a senior. She said it was an honor for yearbook members to receive state recognition for their work.
 
“The theme definitely encompassed what we could do last year,” Khloe said. “We came in with a really young staff, and I was a really young editor, so it proved to be true. We had a lot of state championships, a lot of things that went really well in our school, and it encompassed our staff too, for being able to accomplish that at such a young age for all of us. We felt that there was nothing we couldn’t do after finishing that book.”
 
Sophomore Emery joined the yearbook staff for the first time this fall after two of her friends told her about their positive experiences. The school’s yearbook advisor, Brandi Benson, had also been Emery’s teacher in a photojournalism class, and Emery felt it would be fun to try the activity.
 
Emery has already spent time working on pages about the boys cross country team, Summer Olympics and student sections at Friday night football games. She said she views the 2023-24 yearbook with a newfound level of appreciation.
 
“I didn’t work on the yearbook last year, but it’s cool to look through it,” Emery said. “Now, being in the class and knowing how much work it takes to make just one page, it’s neat to look through the book from last year with like, 300 pages, and you think, ‘A lot of work went into this.’ It’s cool to be on the other end of things, to know what it felt like to be the ones behind all of it.”
 
Claire also wanted to add her name to The Talon’s staff list after looking at previous yearbooks. The junior is currently working on several holiday-themed pages. She said it has been fun to spend time with her fellow Talonites this fall.
 
“I really like being part of it,” Claire said. “It’s very inclusive.”
 
Khloe said the yearbook has become a valuable part of her Southwest career. Her time in the class has given her the chance to interview dozens of Silver Hawks about everything from academics to athletics. She has also learned important leadership skills and become friends with students in many grade levels.
 
“It’s really awesome,” Khloe said. “There are a lot of amazing people who come from a lot of different backgrounds. I get to meet a lot of people that I maybe wouldn’t have met if I wasn’t a part of this.”
 
Emery said she has also enjoyed her first adventure into the yearbook arena.
 
“I’ve liked it so far,” Emery said. “I like the design aspect of it because I’m a creative person. I like to design layouts and make things unique and get to learn more about the school. It’s been pretty fun.”
 
Khloe said the Silver Hawks are planning to use either “A Little Bit Extra” or “A Little Bit More” for the 2024-25 yearbook theme. She said the Cornhusker Award would serve as additional encouragement for students to put their best efforts into every yearbook page.
 
“It’s one of the highest honors of journalism excellence here in Nebraska, so it’s really cool to receive it,” Khloe said. “It’s a really big accomplishment and it feels like such an honor to win it. It’s definitely not an easy task and it’s super cool to accomplish.”

To see more of Southwest High’s journalism work, visit its website at https://lswhawk.com/.

To read more from Southeast High’s student newspaper, visit its website at lseclarion.com. 
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on December 02, 2024

Student News Desk: Bolivia native enjoys student experience at North Star

Written by Mariana Bazan, North Star High School

Mateo is one of our only exchange students at North Star this year. He is from Tarija, Bolivia. So far Mateo is really liking the United States.

One thing he told the Gator Galaxy was that, “One thing that was different compared to Bolivia were the people here are a lot more shy which makes it harder to make friends.” Some of the friends he has were made from joining the LNS football team.

Mateo decided to try football for the very first time and his favorite part about football was getting to be the kicker. He also wants to join wrestling or swimming for the winter and soccer in the spring. He said the food here is a lot less healthy than it is in Bolivia, “the food in the US has a lot less flavor than the food in Bolivia.”

For only being here for three months, his English is really good. He told the Gator Galaxy that when he first met his host family they couldn’t talk to each other without using Google Translate. About a month later his English improved a lot. He said listening to music and trying to speak as much English as possible throughout the day helps a lot. He can now converse with his host family without any trouble.

When asked what made him want to come to the US he said, “it was mainly for his parents.” He knew his parents had not received the chance to do this so when he found out he could, he didn’t think twice about saying yes.

The decision on coming was also made because he wanted to learn a new language, culture, and make new friends. He is truly happy about getting the chance for something new and so far his experience has been wonderful.

When Mateo’s exchange year is over he does see himself coming back to the US to visit. But instead of coming to Nebraska he wants to go to Arkansas. The reason for this is because the University of Arkansas has a program with Bolivia where he is able to apply for a scholarship so he can come back and get a college degree in whatever he wants to do.

Posted on November 27, 2024

Clinton students travel back in time to experience thrill of Olympics

Clinton Elementary School students transported themselves back to 776 B.C. this fall when they held their own version of ancient Greece’s most popular festival.
 
Dozens of Comets went time traveling on the playground during the Clinton Second Grade Olympics. They threw rubber balls for the shot put, launched rubber sticks for the javelin and cheered for each other in relay races as teachers and family members looked on.

 
Ariana beamed as she handed the baton to Reada near the corner of the playground. She then exchanged wide smiles with Mae as they watched the next runners move toward the school building. Both said they were having a good time during the sunny morning.
 
“This is fun because my family said they would be here, and they were,” Ariana said. “I can’t believe I saw them at school.”
 
“The teacher was telling us about it and it sounded like it would be a lot of fun,” Mae said. “We were all excited for today.”
 
Reada also said he was enjoying his first Olympic experience. He said his favorite part of the day was “foot running” in the relay race with his friends.
 
Which medal did he want to win?
 
“Yellow for the first,” Reada said.
 
Amy Ziegler smiled as she oversaw one of the exchange stations on the relay course. Ziegler teaches English Learners students in second grade classrooms at Clinton. She said the Comets were making their history lessons come to life with the outdoor activities.
 
“It means a lot to them to get to celebrate everything that they’ve learned,” Ziegler said. “They’ve spent this whole unit learning about ancient Greek civilization and learning about the Olympics and how that was a big contribution from ancient Greek civilization, so it’s nice for them to be able to take what they were learning and associate this fun memory with it.”
 
Early elementary students at Lincoln Public Schools are taught social studies concepts each year through the use of short texts, pictures and videos. Students in kindergarten through third grade become familiar with their community, nation and world through a wide variety of lessons.
 
For example, LPS second graders like Ariana, Mae and Reada are learning how to describe characteristics of a good community member and how they help their towns and cities. They studied Lincoln maps earlier this fall to discover what a neighborhood looks like, and they have been gaining knowledge about the three branches of American government.

The Olympics event was tied to the second grade portion of the school district’s Amplify CKLA curriculum. It connected to Lesson 4 (“The Olympic Games”) and Lesson 8 (“Marathon”) of a unit called “Ancient Greek Civilization.”
 
The ancient Greece unit at Clinton fit in well with the curriculum because of the civilization’s importance to modern-day life. Greeks invented the earliest form of a democracy, which is a combination of the Greek words “demos” (people) and “kratos” (rule). The first known democracy in the world took place in Athens.
 
Greeks also developed a festival that was the forerunner of the modern-day Olympics. They held games at Olympia from 776 B.C. to 393 A.D. in open-air buildings. The first events were only held on the track, but pentathlon contests – long jump, javelin throw, discus throw, footrace and wrestling – were introduced in 708 B.C.
 
Ziegler said students enjoyed learning basic facts about the Olympics and how they became a central part of Greek culture. They were thrilled when they realized they would get to spend an hour discovering how it would have felt to compete at Olympia.
 
“They get to experience what the Olympics were like for themselves,” Ziegler said. “They’re having a lot of fun. They’ve been looking forward to it.”
 
Students began the day by taking part in the Clinton Opening Ceremony. They used crayons and markers to make flags and waved them in the air as they walked around one half of the playground.
 
The classes then went to different sections of the playground for their games. Students rotated through all of the events so everyone could try them out.
 
Clinton teacher Emily Bretting reminded her class of the ground rules before they started playing. She said having fun and learning about history were the primary reasons that the Comets were hosting their Olympics. She reinforced the social emotional learning lessons that are taught to all elementary students at LPS.
 
“Are we going to get mad if we don’t finish first?” Bretting asked.
 
“No,” her students said in unison.
 
Ziegler said the high fives and smiles that she saw during the morning made it a rewarding experience to be a part of. She felt Clinton’s time-traveling moments on the playground had been successful for everyone.
 
“It’s nice to see them have fun and cheer each other on and just have a good time,” Ziegler said. “They’re making fun memories at school, which is really neat to see.”

Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on November 26, 2024

Fueling futures: Schoo students explore career paths during Black Hills Energy tour

Schoo Middle School students inspected lasers, carbon monoxide detectors and pieces of gas main pipes during a trip to one of the largest utilities providers in the Midwest.
 
Two dozen eighth graders traveled to Black Hills Energy’s Lincoln Operations Center this fall for a job shadowing experience. Students in the Business, Marketing and Risk Management course at Schoo are studying financial topics such as budgeting, careers and personal finance. The trip to Black Hills Energy gave them a chance to explore a business that features careers ranging from accounting to utility line repair.
 
Yanitza and Namat both said they enjoyed their morning at the operations center. They took part in hands-on activities, listened to a panel of professionals talk about their jobs and toured the office and warehouse portions of the building.
 
“I didn’t know what to expect from it, but it was pretty interesting learning about natural gas and what goes on with it,” Namat said. “It was fun.”
 
“I kind of came here with low expectations, because I had never heard of this before,” Yanitza said. “But they were showing us how to put together pipes and work with lasers. It was all really cool and a nice experience to have.”
 
Black Hills Energy employees Jess Mead, Fernando Izaguirre and Mark Husmann spoke to students in the warehouse about their careers. The operations technicians displayed samples of different sizes of gas pipes that provide heat to homes and businesses. They showed them the tools they use to mold the pipes and explained how they air-test each piece for quality assurance.
 
All three said they were happy to visit with the eighth graders. They said it was important to describe details of their jobs and explain how they deliver natural gas to people. The company supplies natural gas to 300,000 customers in eight states.
 
“It’s been a really good opportunity to talk to the kids,” Husmann said. “There are a lot of jobs here that they might not be aware of, so it’s good to show them that.”
 
At the same time, Nathan Lobb was giving students a chance to control a laser device in the building’s conference room. The equipment analyzes the amount of natural gas that is present in the atmosphere, which helps employees safely find, assess and fix leaks. Several students pointed the laser at the wall and others directed it at a device that Lobb held in the air.
 
Elena Madsen and Amy Chittenden both said the visit would pay many dividends. Chittenden teaches business and computer science classes at Schoo, and Madsen works as programs coordinator for the Lincoln chapter of Junior Achievement. Lincoln Public Schools has worked with Junior Achievement for many years to provide job shadowing opportunities for students.
 
“There are all sorts of career possibilities,” Madsen said. “I think it opens their eyes a little bit about what they’re able to do with their careers. We’ve had good feedback from them as well about that.”
 
“With guidance from the Junior Achievement curriculum, students have had the opportunity to explore their interests, values and abilities, creating a personal profile with an eye toward their futures,” Chittenden said. “With this information, they can better plan and select those courses in high school that will help them actualize where they may see themselves upon graduation and beyond.”
 
Junior Achievement provides lessons about financial literacy, entrepreneurship and career readiness to students. The Lincoln chapter reaches approximately 31,000 people each year with curriculum materials and activities such the Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge.
 
Namat said she has enjoyed learning more about financial topics through the Junior Achievement lens. She now understands what it means when her parents pay bills every month, and it has taught her why it is important to begin exploring careers that might interest her.
 
“It gives us a better view and understanding of what happens in our parents’ lives, and when we get older what we’re going to be doing too,” Namat said.
 
Namat would like to become a lawyer and Yanitza is planning on becoming a psychiatrist. Both said they picked up additional job ideas during the visit.
 
“I already have my career chosen, but I think this might be a Plan B, because it does look like a lot of fun,” Yanitza said. “It does look like you can make a lot of friends and have good experiences here.”
 
Madsen said activities like this fall’s field trip will put Schoo students on a positive pathway toward their futures.
 
“In high school, I think they start to think seriously about it, but middle school is when they start to dream,” Madsen said. “This is where they can really start to see possibilities, and then in high school they can start to put that into action.”
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on November 26, 2024