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 and guidance counselors 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 Peter Ferguson of Lincoln Public Schools.
The following is a list of students honored as 2016 Big Red Stars, by hometown:
Albion: Destiny Umbarger
Alda: Pansy Graff
Allen: Joshua Cooper, Brogan Jones
Alma: Wiliam Anderson, Abigail Cervera
Ansley: Jasmin Pineda-Dominguez, Brianna Ryan
Arlington: Tanner Pittman
Arapahoe: Lauren Bahe, Cooper Schutz
Arcadia: Shaylee Chilewski, McKenna Cruikshank
Arlington: Josh Howland
Ashland: Molly Feile, Bryce Kitrell, Sierra McClain
Atlanta: Myrka Lara-Aguilar
Aurora: Jared Nunnenkamp
Bartlett: Gracie Pokorny
Battle Creek: Zoe Hassler, Tria McLean
Beatrice: Dawson Huls, Faith Kelly, Alexxandra Malchow
Bellevue: Makenzie Gray, Melody Sly, Eriel Williams, Wilfrido Zamora
Benkelman: Jessie Freeland, Wesley Throckmorton
Bennet: Trinity Bohaty
Bennington: Malique Boyd, Ariana Bryant
Bloomfield: Daniel Bruegman, Braden Eisenhauer
Bloomington: Abigail Cleveland
Bradshaw: Hannah Hiett, Zachary Taggart
Bridgeport: David Argamosa, Olivia Freeze
Broken Bow: Danielle Osmond, Keiana Sawyer-Kociemba
Bruning: Nolan Weber
Burwell: Macy Brown, Madison Guest, Tiffany Mayfield, Breanna Rocheleau
Cairo: Amber Baldwin, Alex Linden
Campbell: Abbie Skupa
Carroll: Eric Alvarez-Andres
Central City: Jayden Leonard
Chadron: Susely Eleuterio, Grace Sorenson
Chappell: Chloe Stupka
Clarkson: Sawyer Kappel, Brittney Urbanek
Clearwater: Alyssa Moser
Coleridge: Wyatt Taylor
Columbus: Amber Buhman, Blake Edzards, Rachael Lam, Endy Leon, Mariam Munoz, William Whited, Dawson Wurdeman, Liza Zaruba
Creighton: Brian Johnson, Josselyn Raygoza
Creston: Taylor Larson, Reagan Settje
Crete: Natali Castro, Kevin Coffey
Crofton: Taylor Jansen
Dakota City: Cristina Alvarez
Davenport: Alphonso Pena Lopez
David City: Amanda Aerts, Spencer Allen, Daphne Vizcarra-Navarro
Deshler: Anthany Collins, Adam Roth
Deweese: Jordan Heinz
DeWitt: Bailey Waltke
Dix: Nicole Delaplane, Carli Wurdeman
DuBois: Kodenn Koester
Dwight: Angelyna Mitchem
Eddyville: Ashley Schroeder
Elkhorn: Dylan Cass, Adah Javier, Josah Mills, Maria Reger, Magdalena Vidal
Elmwood: Lauren Justesen
Emerson: Paige Steinman, Piper Steinman
Ericson: Amanda Williams
Eustis: Jacob Rupe
Exeter: Elijah Johnson, Caitlin Murphy
Fairbury: Darby Paulsen, Isadora Schwab
Falls City: Dillon Ebel, Trey McAfee, Mackensie Nelson, Luke Schawang
Firth: Alex Heetderks, Morgan Koehler
Fordyce: Lauren Heine
Fort Calhoun: Kennedy Bradburn, Makayla Perry
Franklin: Jessica James
Fremont: Rebecca Gomez, Maclain Ridder
Friend: Corrine Grimaldo, Mikayla Hausman
Geneva: Angelica Hernandez, Trevor Meyer
Genoa: Lacie Cruise, Catherine Laska, Mackenzie Whitlow
Gering: Kelsey Bohnsack, Yadbir Kaur
Gibbon: Arlet Nava
Glenvil: Hunter Steinbach
Gothenburg: Taran Barrett
Grand Island: Madison Lane, Natalia Ortega, Brianna VanBibber
Gresham: Randy Rafert
Hardy: Brenden Jensen
Harrisburg: Rylie Mason
Hartington: Maizie Christensen
Hastings: Chabelli Parapar, Kevin Pham
Hay Springs: Jackson Thies
Hebron: Bailey Kiburz, Destiny Poisel
Henderson: Rachael Dente
Herman: Bailey Blackford
Holdrege: Joshua Marcy, Maddie Moore, Brandon Solorio
Hordville: Kendyl Jividen
Hubbard: Matthew Georgensen
Humphrey: Connor Olmer, Ashley Schemek
Johnson: Josh Hoff-Boring
Julian: Elizabeth Hodges
Kearney: Alexis Barth, Miguel Guerrero, Sarah Lucht
Kimball: Mikayla Cook
Laurel: Landen Boysen
La Vista: Zach Howard
Lawrence: Trevin Kotinek
Leshara: Naim Salazar
Lexington: Hailey Wagener
Lincoln: Jonathan Andreasen, Natalie Bender, Maddy Boucher, Kandace Broussard, Aliesha Burback, Owen Calkins, Emily Dang, Max Draus, Ismail Eldoud, Caden Feit, Alyssa Hansen, Kate Johnson, Tayvione Jones, Kaitlin Kadavy, Austyn Kreikemeier, Connie Lin, Catherine Noonan, Megan Pavlik, Abigail Russman, K Daw Saw, Kylee Vrba, Ella Williams
Lyons: Devin Hegge, Arizona Riecken
Madison: Erin Pfeifer
Malmo: Taylen Pospisil
Maywood: Elisha Handsacker, Helen Willard, Joe Willard
McCool Junction: Madison Gerken
Meadow Grove: Courtney Fowlkes
Milford: Carlin Adams, Josiah Gardiner
Moorefield: Sabra Schmidt
Nebraska City: Sarah Murray, Miguel Perez
Nehawka: Jaelinn Victor
Newman Grove: Madison Friedrich
Niobrara: Camden Eisenhauer, Stran Fritz
Norfolk: Courtney Flohr, Damian Romero
North Bend: Lauren Emanuel, Madison Vavak
North Platte: Samantha Bryant, Timothy Crisp, Andrew Lindemeier, Lindsey Sawyer, Katrina Webster, Hannah Zimlich
O’Neill: Michael Poese, Kateri Wichman
Oakland: Megan Bousquet, Laurence Brands
Odell: Melina Kostal, Madison Vater
Omaha: Melanie Amaya, Brett Brodin, Matt Broyles, Tristan Curd, Molly Dowse, Hunter Gatewood, Alex George, Santiago Lara, Michelle Lucio-Hernandez, Maria Mapes, Ajok Mareng, Ryan Mendez, Vivian Nguyen, Ashutosh Palungwa, Abigail Reynolds, Jocelyn Rodgers, Carina Muse, Tyler Schlachter, Nicole Siekman, Thu Tran, Fiorella Vidal, Faith Wanninger, Emalie Wightman, Ivan Yabut
Orchard: Brandi Ruzicka
Ord: Cooper Sheets, Jonathon Zubizareta
Osceola: Lindsi Hughes
Osmond: Carissa Wacker
Overton: Austin Haussler
Oxford: Maggie Lammers, Mandy Schoen
Palmyra: Kassidy Skinner
Papillion: Olivia Boudreau
Pawnee City: T.J. Mawhiney
Paxton: Caroline Akinnigbagbe, Colt Mullen
Petersburg: Emily Pelster, Angel Qualset
Plattsmouth: Nolan Lewandowski, Matthew South
Pleasanton: Grady Chandler
Prague: Nathan Mather
Ralston: Merlin Padilla
Ravenna: Kooper Schirmer, Tyler Wetzel
Rising City: Alison Nekl
Rogers: Nolan Healy
Roseland: Nadia Trausch
Rushville: Emily Killsback
St. Edward: Jordan Maxfield
St. Helena: Justin Potts
Schuyler: Alexandra Garcia
Scotia: Kilee Ackles, Haley Turek
Sedgwick: Caitlin Koenen
Seward: David Clark, Garrett Erickson, Maddy Lobmeyer
Shelton: Claire Kee, Veronica Mathews, Sara Palmer
Spalding: David Esch, Isaac Tenski
Stanton: Caleb Jenkinson, Destini Wolff
Stapleton: Jade Paxton
Steinauer: Dana Christen
Sterling: Joel Rathe, Torie Tucker
Stromsburg: Katherine Kopetezky
Stuart: Lainey Paxton, Madison Stracke
Sumner: Parker Smith
Superior: Hallie Epley, Trisha Hayes
Sutton: Alejandro Castorena, Eli Skalka
Tecumseh: Monica Thipphavong, Eli Waring
Tekamah: Jordan Derra
Tilden: Joslyn Klinetobe
Tobias: Josiee Sobotka
Utica: Joel Bargen, Kendra Bennet
Valentine: Justice Osborne, Skyler Reagle
Valley: Ariana Alvarez-Arroyo
Valparaiso: C.J. Hughes
Verdigre: Hunter Kotrous
Virginia: Caleb Bredemeier
Wahoo: Elissa Abolins, Grace Wirka
Wayne: James Tompkins
Weeping Water: Libby Cozad, Kaylee Tighe
Wellfleet: Karlie Gerlach
Western: Halle Pribyl
West Point: Abby Boell, Bailey Hickey, Jorge Ibarra, Michelle Quinones
Winnebago: Sebastian Armell, Gavin Farmer
Wisner: Terry Dimon, Cole Jacobsen
Wood River: Trey Zessin
Wymore: Aryel Lane, Lauren Trauernicht
York: Alyssa Gilliland, Anthonie Gomez, Lauran Peters, Ty Schneider
Yutan: Colby Tichota
