Conner Matzke is selected the January Youth Rotarian by Seward Rotary Club
Launch the media gallery 1 playerConner Matzke, a Seward High Senior, was selected the January Youth Rotarian by the Seward Rotary Club. He was honored and recognized at the recent Seward Rotary noon luncheon meeting at the Jones Bank auditorium on Wednesday, January 17th and introduced by Rotarian Anita Foor. He is the son of Tom and Danelle Matzke of Seward.
Conner is involved in a host of AP and Duel Credit classes at SHS, in preparation for college. He also takes classes through Southeast Community College for college credits.
He loves sports and is an avid baseball fan. He plays second base for the Seward High Bluejay Baseball team and has been on the team all four years of his high school career-with his first letter in baseball as a sophomore. He also plays American Legion Baseball in the summer.
In basketball, Conner has been involved with the SHS Basketball program all four years while at Seward High and plays Guard on the Varsity Team this year.
He was a wide receiver on the successful SHS Football Varsity Team and is a corner on their defense, where he has lettered the last two years.
He is an active member of the SHS FFA program and participated in a host of District Leadership events over the years. He also holds memberships in the Seward High Skills USA Chapter and involved in their community service efforts.
Conner enjoys being part of the Seward High Future Business Leaders of America Chapter (FBLA) and has attended many workshops, leadership meetings and state conferences-competing in a variety of programs while at State FBLA Conferences.
He is self employed as a “Hawker” at the UNL Concessions for various athletic events-selling popcorn, Runzas and Pepsi products at many Nebraska Football Games.
He also has been a Detasseler and Roguer since 2019, walking the cornfields and detasseling and roguing during the summers to earn money for school.
He is a member of the Rock Lutheran Church and attends the St. John Lutheran Church Godparent Program sponsored by Jon and Jenny Krause.
His community “Service Above Self” includes serving as an Outdoor Education Counselor, supervising 6th graders at the SMS during a camp, working youth sports camps and seminars, mentoring Jr. Jays at the Seward Elementary and being a referee/Umpire for youth basketball and baseball games. He was also involved in various community service projects for the FFA, FBLA and Skills USA Chapters at SHS.
His hobbies include watching sports events, weightlifting, and swimming, helping grow roses with his grandparents, playing chess, snowboarding, and fishing.
He plans to attend the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and work towards a Business/Finance Major with the goal to return to Seward and be part of the 6th generation of Matzke’s in the area.
He was thanked for his hard work at SHS and presented with a Rotary Banner, bag of printed materials on Seward and Rotary and a book scholarship for college. Conner will be recognized again in May at the SHS Honors Night and is now a finalist for the Seward Rotary Youth Rotarian of the Year.
The Seward Rotary honors one SHS Senior each month and applications can be found with the SHS Counselors.