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The Seward Rotary recognized and honored SHS Senior Matthew Wegman on Wednesday, May 1st, 2024 at their weekly Rotary Club luncheon meeting at the Jones Bank Auditorium. Matt is the son of Nicole and David Wegman of Seward.
Matthew is a scholar at SHS, has been on the SHS Honor Roll 15 consecutive times and enjoyed a host of Dual Credit Classes and Advanced Placement (AP) Classes as well. His current GPA is 3.9+ and enjoys a wide range of academic interests.
One of Matthew’s passions is sports-all aspects and he has been involved in three sports while at SHS. He was a participating team member on their successful SHS Football team since 2022, and served as the team’s kicker. He earned his Varsity Football letter with his successful football seasons. Matt also was a member of the SHS Basketball team since 2021 and enjoyed the hours on the court, where he also lettered in the Varsity Sport. However, one of his real sporting interests lies with the sport of Golf and he is currently on the Varsity Golf Team-considered one of the team’s leaders- and has been involved with the SHS Golf program since 2021. He has two Golf Varsity letters and was the Bronco-Bluejay Cup Medalist.
Matthew has been a longtime member of the SHS Future Business Leaders of America-the SHS FBLA and has served as many officers, currently serving as the Vice President of the local FBLA Chapter. He has attended many FBLA Conferences and Conventions and recently qualified for Nationals in FBLA in Data Analysis and will compete this summer in Orlando and the National FBLA Convention. He also placed 4th at the UNK Business Day Competition this last year.
In the community, Matthew is a member of his Seward County 4-H Club and served as the Treasurer, Vice President and President of his 4-H Club. He has been involved in a host of projects on the County level and qualified for State as well. He has been involved with 4-H Leadership –attending a recent 4-H Leadership Convention and named a 4-H Tech “Changemaker.” He enjoys instructing young 4-H members about the organization and sharing his project successes with them.
He is a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Seward, involved with their Youth Program and considered a voice of their youth in the congregation.
His community “Service Above Self” focus is on volunteering. He volunteered to be an Outdoor Ed Counselor for the Middle School Outdoor Ed program –twice and lead the “Team Building/Bonding” activities at the camp! He has logged over 100 hours of Volunteer Hours at Seward High as well. He has mentored and worked the area Youth Basketball, Football and Golf Camps each summer and also helped with the Youth Track program as a volunteer. His many community service activities with his local 4-H Club include the Seward County Fair 4-H Food Booth and “Fair Clean-up Days” over the years. He has also volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House in Omaha, with meal preparation as a volunteer.
Matthew has been employed with “Six4all” – working as a vineyard grounds keeper; pruning and harvesting grapes and working the grapevines. He also has enjoyed Detasseling various corn fields in the area and currently also works for the DelRay Party Room in Lincoln and Seward.
He plans to attend the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and study Business and with the goal of obtaining a degree in Business Administration-eventually hoping to own his own business.
Matthew was presented with a Seward Rotary Banner and a bag of information on Seward and Rotary International. He was presented a book scholarship and is a finalist for the Seward Rotary Club Scholarship-and he will be recognized again at the approaching Honors Night for SHS Seniors. He was thanked for his successful Seward High School career and leadership activities, hoping that the lessons will most certainly carry on through his college years as well.
Seward High Senior, Piper Souchek, the daughter of Dr. Russ and Rhonda Souchek, was selected the April, 2024 Youth Rotarian of the Month and honored at the Wednesday, April 10th Seward Rotary Club luncheon meeting at the Jones Bank Auditorium. She was introduced and recognized by Rotarian Anita Foor.
Piper is excited to learn and has included many programs in her high school career through the Southeast Community College Career Academy Partnership. Besides all of her regular high school classes, she has enjoyed the Career Academy programs of Certified Nursing Assistant, Medical Terminology, and Introduction to Psychology, Principles of Marketing and Public Speaking. Piper has been on the SHS Honor Roll and enjoys her dual credit classes, preparing her for college.
She loves music and has been involved in the longtime, award winning SHS Bluejay Marching Band program for all four years of her high school career-playing the tenor saxaphone. She also is a four year member of the Symphonic Band and the Seward High Pep Band. She has been part of the SHS Musical program for two years and volunteers backstage to assist with the props and sets.
Piper is a longtime SHS Student Ambassador all four years of her high school experience, where she offers tours, welcomes guests and helps out where ever and whenever called upon for a project or presentation.
Piper was selected to be one of the Rotary Youth Leader Award (RYLA) students for 2023. She has received many of the Student PRIDE Awards from the SHS faculty based on her Preparation, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Effort.
She is a member of the St. John Lutheran Church student “Godparent” program, offering gatherings every Wednesday evening with her fellow students to study and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Piper enjoys her longtime dancing experiences (with 14 years of lessons) at the “Artistry in Motion” Dance Studio in Seward (Formerly Shelly’s Dance Studio). She works to memorize dances for a major recital every April at the SHS Theater and enjoys tap, jazz and ballet dancing-along with assisting with the younger students.
She is often employed as a child care provider – and loves working with the children. She is a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).
Her “Service Above Self” includes the community service of her community and school organizations community service projects. She also enjoys public performances of the Marching Band at the Christmas parade and the Fourth of July parade every year in Seward, along with musical presentations as volunteers at the local nursing homes.
She enjoys working with the young dancers at her dance studio and the many hours of service as a Seward High Student Ambassador with tours, presentations, interview days, college nights and events that require students in attendance to host the welcome table.
Piper plans to attend Doane University in Crete and hopes to study with a Major in the area of “Business Management” and a Minor in “Entrepreneurship.” She hopes to someday go into owning her own business and work in “Event Planning.”
She was recognized and thanked for her hard work at Seward High and presented with a bag of Rotary and Seward materials, along with a Rotary Club banner and a “Book Scholarship” for next year. She is a finalist for the Seward Rotary Club Youth Rotarian of the Year and will be recognized again at the SHS May Honors Night.
The final Seward Youth Rotarian will be awarded in May and applications are still being accepted and found at the SHS Counselor’s office.
Thirty members of the Seward High School FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) chapter attended the Nebraska FBLA State Leadership Conference April 11th-13th in Kearney at the Younes Conference Center.
While at the conference, members attended workshops, listened to speakers from the business world, and competed in a variety of business related competitions. More than 2,000 students from around the state competed at the conference representing over 125 schools. The Seward chapter was recognized for its commitment to Nebraska FBLA sponsored community service and business enrichment projects by receiving 9 different chapter ribbons from projects completed throughout the year and for being a Sweepstakes Award winning chapter. Chapter president Layla Sugden was recognized as a “Who’s Who” of Nebraska FBLA recipient.
Seward FBLA had 8 members qualify for the national convention which will be held in Orlando this summer by placing in the top 3 of their events. Seward won 30 different individual and team awards which included top 8 finishers and members who finished the top 4% of events and received honorable mention certificates.
Jena Eberspacher campaigned for and won the office of Nebraska State FBLA President for the 2024-25 school year. Jena had to deliver a campaign speech to the entire state membership, answered impromptu caucus questions, and ran a campaign booth throughout the conference. Jena will lead Nebraska FBLA next year by representing the state membership at national conferences this summer and next fall as well as leading statewide FBLA conferences during the school year. She will also be traveling to FBLA chapters around the state to present leadership workshops and promote the state officer team’s goals. Jena is the first Seward student to serve as an FBLA state officer in over 25 years.
Six Seward High Students were selected the representatives to the annual GFWC NFWC Sophomore Pilgrimage at the State Capitol in Lincoln on Wednesday, April 1 in an all-day event. The students included SHS Sophomores Adrey Broadwell, Cardin Groacke,Avery Rodocker, LilyBrashear, Grace Matulka and Ayda Metschke, along with Trevor Menke-SHS History and Government teacher.
The students were co-sponsored by the GFWC Seward Woman’s Club, the GFWC Seward Junior Women’s Club and the School District of Seward High Ability Learner Program. The state event is sponsored by the GFWC Nebraska Federation of Women’s Clubs, INC. The students were selected by a written application and interview in the fall of 2023.
The students were scheduled and met with Senator Jana Hughes of the 24th Nebraska Legislative District, Governor Jim Pillen, Lieutenant Governor Joe Kelly, Secretary of State Robert Evnen, State Treasurer John Murante, Attorney General Mike Hilgers and State Auditor Mike Foley. The official greeting was given by the GFWC NFWC State President Karen Crandall of Papillion, Nebraska and a history of the Sophomore Pilgrimage was shared by GFWC NFWC Past Presdident Bonnie Kruse.
The students each met with their State Senator, with the SHS students visiting with Senator Jana Hughes, who is an SHS alum. They enjoyed a pizza lunch at the Governor’s Mansion with Senator Hughes, after visiting the State Legislature in session.
In the afternoon, the entire group visited the State Judicial Branch and toured the State’s Supreme Court facilities and a tour of the capitol.
The Sophomore Pilgrimage program has been recognized nationally by the GFWC for serving as a strong educational effort to assist in developing local leadership in the high schools. Local GFWC NFWC State Public Affairs Chair and the event chair for this event was Jane Sonneland of Lincoln. The GFWC NFWC is the official affiliate member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) for the State of Nebraska.
All Day
SHS Band Leadership Interviews
SHS
All Day
All Day
2:00pm
Track: Middle School Invite vs Multiple Schools vs. Norris (Away)
Norris High School
5:30pm
Baseball: Varsity District Tournament vs Bennington vs. TBA (Away)
Pruess Field - Bennington Legion Field
7:00pm
SHS Band Spring Finale Concert
SHS New Theater
All Day
Elementary Planning Day - No Elementary Students
SES Seward Elementary School
All Day
SHS Band Leadership Interviews
SHS
All Day
10:00am
Golf: Boys Varsity Central Conference Meet vs Multiple Schools vs. York (Away)
York Country Club
7:00pm
SHS New Theater
All Day
All Day
All Day
5:00pm
SHS Main Lobby
9:00am - 10:00am
SHS New Theater
7:00pm
SHS New Theater
8:00am
SHS
9:00am - 4:30pm
SHS New Theater
12:00pm
Track: Varsity District Meet vs Multiple Schools vs. TBA (Away)
Norris High School
7:00pm - 8:00pm
SHS New Theater
All Day
Soccer: Boys Varsity State Championships vs TBD vs. TBD (Away)
All Day
Soccer: Girls Varsity State Championships vs TBD vs. TBD (Away)
9:00am - 10:30am
SHS New Gym
3:30pm
Golf: Boys Varsity Dual vs Milford (Away)
Thornridge CC
All Day
Soccer: Boys Varsity State Championships vs TBD vs. TBD (Away)
All Day
Soccer: Girls Varsity State Championships vs TBD vs. TBD (Away)
8:00am
SHS
9:15am - 11:15am
SMS - 7/8 Grade Spring Concert Rehearsal
SHS New Theater
5:30pm - 7:00pm
SHS New Gym