UNL recognizes Big Red Stars of 2015

Lincoln, Neb., June 5th, 2015 —

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln honored Nebraska eighth-graders for their academic excellence, leadership and perseverance April 28 at the Lied Center for Performing Arts.

The Big Red Stars program is designed to recognize outstanding eighth-grade students in Nebraska. These talented young people were nominated by school principals for showcasing strong leadership skills and academic promise.

The ceremony was sponsored by UNL and EducationQuest. Highlights of the event included individual recognition and awards and special remarks from Dr. Helen Abdali Soosan Fagan from UNL.

The following is a list of students honored as 2015 Big Red Stars, by hometown:

Adams: Ashley Parde.

Albion: Mckenna Book, Katie Goodwater, Anna Hamling, Sarah Ohnemus.

Alma: Mitchell Gehrig.

Arcadia: Dylan Hruby, Hollie Sell.

Arlington: Emily Kraemer.

Arnold: Leighton Bubak.

Ashland: Gabriela Hill, Halle Starns.

Auburn: Carolyn Billings, Chandler Bulmer, Richard Mack.

Battle Creek: Austin Marx, Caydon McCracken.

Bayard: Gracie Batt.

Beatrice: John Martinez II, Reesa Wilcox, Madison Witulski.

Beaver City: Savanah Ellis, Madeline Reeves.

Bellevue: Emily Gonzalez, Maria Mwita, Jordan Strong.

Bellwood: Angelina Rodriguez.

Belvidere: Maggie Harris.

Bennington: Alexis Hankins, Joshua Hoins, Jadynn Maxwell.

Big Springs: Josephyne Saults.

Bloomfield: Kandise Fantroy, Carolyn Nagengast.

Bridgeport: Jerardo Castillo, Jocelyn Pohl, Kody Spencer.

Broken Bow: Treyvon Brooks, Weston Walz.

Burwell: Cali Lech, Joshua Urbanovsky.

Cairo: Macy Baldwin, Casey Juszak.

Callaway: Kalen Dockweiler.

Central City: Angelica Buford, Trevor Cumpston, Morgan Twiss, Alison Winsterman.

Chadron: Taya Leija, Claire Margetts.

Chappell: Jordyn Koenen, Dominic Tucker.

Chester: Makayla Johnson.

Clarks: Karla Quinonez-Sotelo.

Clarkson: John Langhorst, Paige Moore.

Clearwater: Julia Thiele.

Columbus: Jesus Baro, Gabriel Carde, Paige Jeffryes, Mira Liebig, Alejandro Pacheco, Caden Pelan, Kelli Schoch.

Cook: Jordan Rodriquez.

Craig: Grace Monson.

Creighton: Justin Rosas, Brenden Waldow.

Crete: Brynette Estrada, Linda Trujillo.

Crofton: Julie Jones.

Curtis: Jasmine Tutlam-Hazen, Sydney Veldhuizen.

Dakota City: Brandon Lewis.

David City: Will Danielson, Will Macken.

Dawson: Anastasia Popham.

DeWitt: Ivy Parker.

Deshler: Andi Collins.

Dixon: Katie Bathke, Madisen Schneiders.

Dorchester: Daisha Hoffman, Cole Johnson.

Elgin: Ervin Dohmen, Allyson Wemhoff.

Elkhorn: Ailema Camacho, Peyton Mull, Cole Thierstein.

Emerson: Taylor Daum.

Ericson: Emma Hoffschneider.

Eustis: Christian Timm, Alexia Wilcox.

Exeter: James Becker.

Fairbury: Andrea Kort, Isaac Robertson, Colton Starck.

Fairmont: Mitchel Manning.

Falls City: Cade Schawang.

Firth: Colson Hestermann, Lydia Teegerstrom.

Fordyce: Valerie Kaiser.

Fort Calhoun: Avery McKennan.

Geneva: Carson Scott, Sydney Simacek.

Genoa: Katherine Mohr, Korie Rosno.

Gering: Blanca Munoz.

Gibbon: Avigail Corona, Shelby Davis, Chloe Strecker.

Gordon: Andrew Black Elk.

Grand Island: Abigail Hornady, Joana Reyes.

Hartington: Lauren Wintz, Jada Woods.

Harvard: Giselle Marquez-Ledezma, Allie Portenier.

Hastings: Breanna Gilmore, Lucy Nielsen.

Hazard: Rebecca Larson.

Hebron: Peyton Dubbert.

Henderson: Kodjo Atikpohou, Olivia Casper.

Hildreth: Sidney Gruwell, Bronson Hinrichs.

Holdrege: Payton Schultz.

Hubbard: Erin Georgesen.

Humboldt: Clarence Schuler.

Humphrey: Yasmine Bender, Alex Thompson.

Huntley: Christopher Garza.

Jansen: Stefania Rosales.

Johnson: Cole Fossenbarger.

Kearney: Joshua Garrelts.

Laurel: Samuel Cary, Lorna Maxon.

La Vista: Dane Hickey, Clara Pohlman.

Lawrence: Brody Himmelberg.

Leigh: Logan Becher, Faith Kemnitz.

Leshara: Jordan O'Shea.

Lewellen: Dakota Henry.

Lincoln: Abigail Anderson, Mei Beiermann, Matthew Case, Rodney Cruz, Simon Dang, Jessica Honz, Kylie Kahler, Clare Krajewski, Olimpia Maslowska, Noah Nevitt, Whitney Nguyen, Charlotte Nimely, Matthew Pagan, Sara Petersen, Hannah Rohrs, Grace Seeman, Teresa Trinh.

Lindsay: Karli Reardon.

Loomis: Olivia O'Clair.

Loup City: Taylor Ference, Vivian Hart.

Macy: Angela Marie Craine.

Madison: Isabella Mendez, Jalen Robinson.

Malmo: Emma Thrasher.

Maxwell: Tatiana Moreno, Hayley Yost.

Maywood: Seth Robinson, Paige Wood.

McCook: Morgan Arnold, Rebecca Tietz.

Merriman: Brye Szakacs.

Milford: Justin Kenney, Josh Ramsdell.

Morrill: Sophia Erbe.

Morse Bluff: Zander Gibney.

Mullen: Haley Jones, Jade Lovitt.

Nebraska City: Hayley Godfrey, Angelica Stiles.

Nehawka: Hannah Lingafelter.

Nelson: Megan Wheeland.

Nenzel: Tyler Ravenscroft.

Newman Grove: Dominik Cuevas, Tyson Haddix.

Nickerson: Brady Hull, Anthony Parra.

Niobrara: Stefani Johnson, Natalia Lopez, Abby Swanson, Brooke Swanson.

Norfolk: Brendan Bachman, Dante Hoffman, Ethan Piper, Jordan Robinette.

North Bend: Paige Swanson.

North Loup: Clayton Shoemaker.

North Platte: Calli Groseth, Bryce Harvey, Jenna Hoover, Lincoln McIntosh-Perlinger, Sabrina Mills-Torrez, Tayler Trotta.

Oakland: Blake Anderson, Jared Mulder.

Oconto: Wryleigh Doyle.

Odell: Bryston Warren.

Ohiowa: Jacqueline Dimas.

Omaha: Rhema Anaya, Gloria Andrade, Cameron Baratta, Dhiraj Chhetri, Christina Davis, Claire Donahoe, Richard Evans, Edem Frieda Nomenyo, Eric Guiterrez, Piper Hager, Ni Htaw Gaw, Benita Ikezue, Jayce Jamieson, Sukanya Kennamthiang, Anna Kotula, Noah Krehbiel, Chebby Kyla, Braydon Lemmon, Jaeda Matthews, Brandon Naidas, Kailee Rae Yabut, Everest Singh, Jaisee Stinson, Ben Theiler, Trinity Thompson, Katherine Tietjen, Katrina Watts, Benjamin Worden.

Ong: Terry McBride.

Orchard: Nalleli Zermeno.

Ord: Sage Konicek.

Osceola: Benjamin Lohrman, Grace Zelasney.

Oshkosh: Ariela Collazo.

Osmond: Keaton Eichberger.

Palmer: Brooke Bruland, Chad Samuelson.

Papillion: Natalie Bikakis, Alexia Rains, Alexander Verdoni.

Paxton: Aidon Perlinger, Bennett Perlinger.

Pilger: Cassidy Gooch.

Plainview: Cameron Nelson.

Plattsmouth: Joseph Barrios, Sam Forrest, Nathan Konkler, Cooper Moore.

Pleasanton: Samantha Phillips, Jayden Westland.

Plymouth: Tiffany Pearson.

Polk: Delaney Carlstrom.

Ravenna: Caleb Mundorf.

Republican City: Hunter Dahlgren.

Rising City: Kloe Ruth.

Roseland: Alex Ehrman, Elizabeth Trausch.

Rulo: Elise Nycum.

Rushville: Ryan Wellnitz.

St. Edward: Emma Ketelsen.

Salem: Randee Witt.

Schuyler: Kasey Brabec, Zachary Chromy, Mario Encarnacion.

Scottsbluff: Phillip Soto.

Seward: Gillian Daniel, Shawn Two Crow.

Shelby: Jacob Willis.

Shickley: Josiah Kamler.

Spalding: Elizabeth Bauer, Kelly Kleffner.

Stanton: Bree Burtwistle, Bailey Patterson.

Sterling: Haley Pella, Carly Wenzl, Malayna Wingert.

Stromsburg: Grant Hollinger, Dylan Sperling.

Stuart: Wyatt Paxton, Ethan Sattler.

Sutton: Marisa Griess, Madison Nuss.

Tecumseh: Simon Rother.

Tekamah: Keirsten Pickell, Brandon Schram.

Tilden: Amber Miller, Prestin Vondra.

Tryon: Kristina Miller, Garrett Neal.

Valentine: Kyler Quigley, Rita Woodraska.

Valley: Hannah Gutierrez, Jack Hodge.

Verdigre: Megan Cook, Roni Robinette.

Verdon: Ciara Catlin.

Virginia: Logan Anderson.

Waco: Wyatt Ehlers, Aayeshia Tiedeman.

Wahoo: Jonathan Barraza, Sheontee Moize, Taylor Stuhr.

Walthill: Christi Jade Merrick, Christi Merrick, Deshaun Mitchell.

Waterbury: Melanie Gentrup.

Weeping Water: Jordyn Bergmann, Ryan Smith.

West Point: Marcos Osorio Barrios, Xavier Steffensmeier, Nathaniel Yosten.

Weston: Emily Pokorny.

Winnebago: Kiylista Harden, Lauren John.

Wisner: Jordan Wegner.

Wymore: Shelby Decker, Cheyenne Leach.

York: Hannah Blum, Marshall Buss, Nely Flores Rubalcava, Lauren Kaliff.

Yutan: Gabrielle Girmus, McKinley Josoff.