The University of Nebraska–Lincoln honored 156 Nebraska eighth-graders for their academic excellence, leadership and perseverance May 10 at the Nebraska Union.
The Big Red Stars program is designed to recognize outstanding eighth-grade students in Nebraska. These talented young people were nominated by school principals and guidance counselors for showcasing strong leadership skills and academic promise.
Highlights of the event included individual recognition and awards, and remarks from Curtis Tomasevicz, professor of practice in biological systems engineering at Nebraska. He is also an Olympic gold medal-winning bobsledder and former Husker football player.
The following is a list of students honored as 2018 Big Red Stars, by hometown:
Adams: Alex Podtburg, Nathan Hundley
Albion: Makayla Matchett
Alma: Abigail Fox, Grant McQuay
Arapahoe: Tracy Roskop
Arcadia: Jessi Heyen, Abby Hulinsky
Atlanta: Daniel Hermanson
Bartlett: Hailey Genereux, MaKenna Pelster
Battle Creek: Kendra Golden, Joslyn Hrabanek
Beatrice: Mackenzie Riesen
Beaver Crossing: Camille Johnson
Belvidere: Trenton Waldmeier
Bennington: Madelyn Sortino
Bladen: Katelyn Karr
Bloomfield: Dalton Gieselman, Jayden Hochstein
Blue Springs: Adrien Ficke
Bridgeport: Brooklyn Bates, Ellie Cline
Brock: Audrey Sandfort
Burwell: Cash Gurney, Carter Mann
Clarkson: Mitchel Beeson, Melissa Bunner
Cody: Riley Jones
Coleridge: Alexandria Lich
Columbus: Gavin Brabec, Isaac Kibalya, Emiliano Rodriguez, Eugene Shaw
Creighton: Olivia Dartman, Mallory Nielsen
Crookston: Fayth From
Curtis: Sophia Oladimeji, Kaylyn Roblee
David City: Lanae Aerts, Neely Behrns, Nicholas Carlson
Deweese: Jenna Heinz, Elsa Jorgensen
Dwight: Joseph Urban
Edison: Bryson Warner
Elkhorn: Taylor Bunjer
Emerson: Brock Mackling, Brynn Schock
Eustis: Joszelyn Nichelson
Exeter: Wesley Ronne
Fairbury: Alex Buxton, Marlaney Deras
Fairfield: Josh Shaw
Falls City: Thomas Fields, Emma Frederick, Rachel Magdanz, Lindsey McNeely
Genoa: Kadren Miller
Greeley: Elaine Abrajan
Hartington: Jordyn Steffen
Hayes Center: Mauricio Diaz
Hebron: Sydney Escritt
Henderson: Karla Cool
Henry: Jessica Wilkinson
Holbrook: Leslie Hillman
Hooper: Eli Pilmore
Humphrey: Alex Schemek, Addison Schneider
Johnson: Maggie Clark
Kenesaw: James Kennedy, Dominga Sanchez
Laurel: Cassandra Granquist
Lincoln: Cobe Hansen, Donny Nguyen, Kiara Vodehnal
Madison: Daniel Paniagua
McCool Junction: Zarina Flaherty, Jake Hoarty
Milford: Landon Lautzenhiser, Avery Saltzman
Milligan: Braden Capek
Morrill: Athenaa Becker
Mullen: Brady Oltmenr, Taylor Svoboda
Murray: John Welter
Nehawka: Gabriel Turner-Hickey
Nelson: Kylie Beard
Newman Grove: Elyssa Cuevas, Isaac Potmesil
Nickerson: Leah Keithley
Norfolk: Tyler Lagunes
North Platte: Hayley Miles, Iran Pacheco
O’Neill: Andrew Koehlmoos, Tate Thompson
Oakland: Dayton Carson, Ellen Magnusson
Oconto: Sophia Doyle, Isabelle Stallbaumer
Odell: Kimberly Spitsnogle
Omaha: Kyle Capece, Collin Gates, Jose Goertz, Jack Musil, Emily Nagunst, Elijah Reid
Ord: Nikie Nelson, Grady Sheets
Osceola: Blaike Bryan, Kyle Hasenkamp
Overton: Georgia Crandall
Oxford: Elizabeth Meyers
Palmyra: Kylee Kment, Serenity Wheeler
Pierce: Samantha Fischer, Colton Fritz
Plattsmouth: Lauren Wehrbein
Pleasanton: Chase Pawloski, Payden Tracy
Plymouth: Colton Jantzen
Potter: Jadyn Juelfs, Ana Manning
Primrose: Daniel Diessner
Ralston: Ekbal Djbril, Brandon Monzon
Ravenna: Hunter Douglas, Rowan Havranek, Jaylea Pope
Roseland: Kiersten Kober
St. Edward: Alyssa Reardon
St. Helena: Elena Paltz
Scotia: Carson Corman
Scribner: Jillian Dames
Shelton: Mackenzie Baker
Silver Creek: Hannah Urban
Spalding: Estefania Rivera-Martinez
Stanton: Sylvia Cunningham
Stuart: Tyson Stracke, Abigail Tubbs
Tobias: Brynn Holtmeier
Utica: Lance Habermas
Wallace: Karlie Erickson, Ainsley Strawder
Wauneta: Olivia Behrends, Alexa Sandman
Weeping Water: Candace Porter
West Point: Tamra Faubel, Mayam Medina
Western: Brianna Stromer
Winside: Tyler Carlson
Wisner: Anthony Palmer, Cadyn Utrecht
Wymore: Shelby March, Jentry Schell
York: Alex Goertzen
