Esten Johnsen, SHS Senior, was selected as the November Seward Rotary Club’s Youth Rotarian of the Month. He is the son of Angela and Steven Johnsen of Seward. He is an Honor Student academically, with a Grade Point Average of 4.0. His coursework is full of Advanced Placement classes and Dual Credit Classes at Concordia University, Nebraska Weslyn and Southeast Community College. He is always on the SHS Honor Roll and a leader in the SHS National Honor Society at Seward.

Esten was selected to participate in the GFWC Sophomore Pilgrimage and selected to represent SHS at the Nebraska Hugh O' Brian Youth (HOBY) Leadership Conference. He also recently attended the HOBY World Leadership Conference (WLC) in Chicago and is a current member of the Junior-Crew for HOBY Nebraska. He also has been awarded the Director of Marketing position for HOBY Nebraska and will serve on the Planning Committee for upcoming seminars. He is the youngest Director for the organization at just seventeen-years-old. He was selected to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) program this summer in Maxwell Nebraska where he also achieved the "Service Above Self" Award. He was named the recipient of the Youth Salute Award when he also received the Top Youth Leader label from Seward High along with many scholarships.

Esten has enjoyed being part of the Seward High Cross Country Team all four years of his high school career and was also a member of the 2022 SHS Track program as well. He is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).

He serves as the Seward High Student Body President and is the President of the Bluejay Leadership Team (BLT) which is SHS's Student Council. He is the Emcee at SHS P.R.I.D.E. Rallies every quarter and the SHS Pep Rallies too. Esten served as the Junior Class Representative on the Leadership Team and has been on the team all four years of high school. He is also the Student Representative on the Seward Public School's School Board.

Esten is devoted to the local SHS FFA Program and was the FFA Reporter, the Vice President, and the current Secretary of the SHS FFA. He has received the FFA Chapter Degree and the Star Greenhand Award in FFA. At the State FFA Conventions, he competed and won many honors in contests that ranged from speeches to hands-on demonstrations.

He is a member of the SHS Hope Squad and the UNK Health Science Explorers Club. He is a loyal member of the SHS SkillsUSA program and a member of the SHS Speech Team: competing in Persuasive, Duet Acting, POI, Serious Prose, and the OID Team. He serves as a member of the SHS Ambassador’s Program and was a Social Media Intern for two years. 

He was the winner of the American Legion District 12 Oratorical Contest for the last three years and each year won the “Thomas Bosmeniel” Memorial Award. He was the American Legion Area C winner in the speech contest last year and was Second Runner-Up at the State American Legion Oratorical Contest. He has been the local winner in the Seward VFW “Voice of Democracy” speech contest the last three years, was the VOD District winner last year and named First Runner-up at the State VFW VOD Speech Contest last year. He has also been involved in his local “Godparents” program for the past three years.

Esten has been employed as a Detasseling Crew member for Sloup/Thorell Crew of Seward and served as the evening assistant manager at the Seward Civic Center. He currently is employed as an Nutritional Service Aide at Memorial Health Care Systems in Seward. 

He has clocked hundreds of community service hours over the last four years as being an involved student at SHS, working the concessions, banquets, and events as scheduled by his service groups. He has often chaired many of the community service events for each of his service clubs and served as a counselor for the SMS Outdoor Education Program and the St. John Summer Horizons and VBS at St. John’s as well.

Esten plans to attend Carleton College in Minnesota and major in political science with other minors and also going to go through the Pre-Law Program, hoping to one day become a lawyer, and maybe one day, a judge. 

Esten was introduced and honored by the Seward Rotary Club and presented with a packet of Rotary Club information and mementos, and a Seward Rotary Club Banner. He is the recipient of a Rotary Book Scholarship and will be again recognized and honored in the Spring at the SHS Honors Night. Esten is a finalist for the “Youth Rotarian of the Year” which will be announced at the spring event at SHS in May.

The Seward Rotary Club honors one student each month as the Youth Rotarian of the Month and the application is available in the counselor’s office.

The Nebraska Chapter of the American Mothers, INC hosted their Annual Middle School General Knowledge Quiz Bowl in Seward!! Seward Middle School Named Champion at the Annual NE AMI Quiz Bowl!

The Seward Middle School Team won the Large School Division of the annual NE AMI Middle School Quiz Bowl event on Wednesday, November 6, 2024 in Seward.  Team members included Haley Curry, Tyler Kossow, Owen Rodocker, Zeek Ferebee, Antoino Cabieles, and Zoey Martin-coached by Laura Trautman and Bradley Schlegel.

The Nebraska Chapter of the American Mothers, INC (NAMI) hosted their Annual Quiz Bowl for Nebraska middle school students, competing in a general knowledge quiz bowl event at the Seward Living Word Lutheran Church on Wednesday, November 6, 2024 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm.  The event featured a series of round robin contests between school’s teams in the morning, concluding with the teams all entering in a single elimination tourney in the afternoon.  Awards were presented in the three divided tournaments-Large School Middle School, Small School.  Trophies and medals were awarded to the first-place teams and trophies were also presented to each of the runner-up teams as well.  It was a general knowledge quiz bowl on math, history, science, music, language arts and literature-middle school and freshman level.

There were 58 teams in the Middle School Tourney.  The MS Tourney was held at the Seward Living Word Lutheran Church at 1300 West Hillcrest Avenue because the Seward Civic Center is under renovation.  \

In the Large School Division, Seward Middle School Team A won the contest-coached by Laura Trautman and Bradley Schlegel, followed by Gretna’s Aspen Creek Middle School Team A-coached by Jill Grant, Third was Gretna Middle School Team A School-coached by Amy Van Ackeren, and Fourth was Seward Middle School Team B -coached by Laura Trautman and Bradley Schlegel.

In the Middle School Medium School Division, the Medium Middle School was won by Kearney Catholic Middle School Team A -coached by Polla Renkjen, followed by Cross County MS Team -coached by Johanna Neilsen and Third Place went to Central City Team A MS-coached by Anna Detlefsen and placing Fourth was Oakland Craig MS -Coached my Michale Menish.

In the Middle School Small School Division, First Place went to Nebraska Christian Academy-Coached by Tara Mundt, with Second to Exeter Milligan Team A -Coached by Jordan Marr, and Third to East Butler-Coached by Andrew Wood, with Fourth to Nebraska Christian Team B -Coached by Tara Mundt. 

There were a total of 58 teams in the tourney-the largest in the history of the contest  Schools represented in the Middle School Division included  Gretna, Gretna Aspen, Kearney Catholic, Seward, Centennial, Central City, Cross County, Heartland, Howells Dodge, Emmanuel-York, McCool Junction, Shelby Rising City, St. John-Seward, Thayer Central, Dorchester, Exeter-Milligan, Fullerton, Hampton, Our Redeemer Staplehurst, Meridian, Wilber Clatonia, Burning Davenport, Osceola, Oakland Craig, Thayer Central, Falls City, Shelton, Nebraska Christian Academy, Malcom,  and Hampton.

The tourney was an all-volunteer event! Volunteer readers/judges include NE AMI volunteers Ginger McGurk-Bennington, Lanae Tryon-State President of NE AMI -Omaha, Sue Venteicher-Omaha, Joyce Stevens-National President of AMI of Crofton, Kim Vogt-Ne AMI President, of Creighton, Lanae Troyn-National AMI BOD Secretary of Omaha, Vicki Dryden-Omaha, Angie Stenger-NE AMI “Mother of the Year”-Norfolk and Jean Kolterman-Seward.  There was a short meeting for the members of the Nebraska AMI during the lunch hour break at noon.

Judges/Readers at the Tourney included Sue Imig, Pat Ohlmann, Andrew Jensen, Nancy Schulz, and Clark Kolterman of Seward, Ellie Janda of Beaver Crossing, Nancy and Stan Meyer of Geneva, Kathy Wilcox of Crete and Jenni Erhardt of Osceola.  Riley Nuttleman served as the Quiz Master and Clark Kolterman coordinated the event.  The members of the NE AMI also assisted with the rounds of questions, as timers, scorekeepers and readers.  Also, the GFWC NFWC State Quiz Bowl Chair -Diane Uher of Clarkson volunteered to assist with the arrangements, assisted by GFWC NFWC Volunteer Bernie Baumert of Howells Dodge -who monitored the students.  Special help from the Living Word Church was offered by their volunteers Pastor Scott Krohn and member Kelly Lemmers. 

Timers and scorekeepers were all volunteer students and coaches from the various schools and members of the NE AMI. Jean Kolterman of Seward served as the NE AMI Project Chairman for the event.

Teams each pays an entry fee to cover the expenses, and any excess funds are directed to the NE AMI general fund to assist with the various projects of the Nebraska AMI, INC.  -such as their Annual Fifth Grade Essay Contest and Mother of the Year Selection and Promotion.  Another Quiz Bowl is tentatively scheduled for the fall of 2025!

American Mothers Inc. has, since 1935, being committed to the values of the role of mothers through education, and service.  It is the official sponsor of “Mother’s Day” and the “Mother of the Year award!” AMI serves as the voice of the 85 million mothers in the USA.  For more information on the American Mothers, Inc. contact Joyce Stevens or Jean Kolterman or visit the AMI website at wwwamericanmothers.org. 

Photo: L-R Haley Currry, Tyler Kossow, Owen Rodocker, Zeke Ferebee (Red Sweatshirt) Antonio Cabieles, Zoey Martin. Coach Laura Trautman and Bradley Schlegel

Esten Johnsen-SHS Senior and Kinlee Goracke-SMS Both Named Champions at American Legion District 12 Oratorical Contest. Esten won First Place in the High School Division and Kinlee was the Middle School Champion.  Esten is the son of Steven and Angela Johnsen of Seward.  Esten presented a nine minute, memorized speech on the US Constitution.  His speech was “We the People!” and he was then asked to speak extemporaneously on the Amendment I for three to five minutes on the topic.

Kinlee Goracke is the Eight Grade daughter of Laura and Darrin Goracke of Seward and presented a five-minute speech on the US Constitution as well.  She was selected to represent Seward Middle School from a pool of six finalists at the SMS. Because she was in the Junior Division, she did not have a time limit, was allowed to use a notecard, and did not have to present an extemporaneous speech on an amendment. 

The American Legion District 12 Oratorical Contest was held on Sunday, November 3^rd, 2024 at 1:00 pm at the Nebraska National Guard Museum in Seward. Martin Neal of Hickman, NE the District 12 Commander, welcomed the group to the American Legion Oratorical District 12 Contest and Joe Ruzicka - the Seward American Legion Post #33 Commander, the hosts for the contest, welcomed the visitors to the contest and to the Nebraska National Guard Museum and Seward. The gathering opened with the Pledge of Allegiance to the US Flag.  Ken Meyer of the Seward American Legion Post 33, served as the District 12 Oratorical Chairman and as Sargeant of Arms for the speakers.  Clark Kolterman of Seward served as the Emcee for the event and assisted with the arrangements for the contest with Ken Meyer. 

Each high school contestant was asked to prepare and write an eight-to-ten-minute oration on some aspect of the US Constitution, then draw one of four US Constitution Amendments and then was asked to speak extemporaneously for three to five minutes on the selected Amendment.  The Amendments selected for the contest were Amendments I, VII, XVIII, XXVI.  He drew Amendment I to speak on for the contest this time.

Esten was awarded a special “Thomas Bosmeniel” Memorial trophy, a gold medal and will receive a $100 cash scholarship from their District Contest, after he attends and participates in the American Legion Area C contest, which is a requirement of the scholarship award.  The Area C Contest will be held in Seward, at the Seward Civic Center on Sunday, December 1^st at 1:00 pm, again hosted by American Legion Post 33 of Seward.  Goracke also received a Gold Medal for being the Junior Champion.

The “Thomas Bosmeniel” Memorial trophy is presented annually by his family and friends in memory of the late Thomas Bosmeniel, who died in 2018, during his freshman year at the University of Nebraska. Thomas had been the winner of the District 12 American Legion Speech Contest twice-sponsored by Post 33, won the American Legion Area C Oratorical Contest twice and was a State American Legion Finalist twice. He had loved the American Legion Oratorical Contest and the values of its program and was also a proud alum of the American Legion Boys State program.  It was presented by Thomas’ mother, Anna Downing of Ulysses, Nebraska at the Oratorical Contest.

Judges for both Oratorical contests were Anna Downing of Ulyssess, NE, Zane Francescato of Seward and Marv Taylor of Seward.  Following the presentation they did meet with the two winners and shared ideas and observations of the student presentations. 

Refreshments were served, compliments of the Nebraska National Guard Historical Society, hosted by Gerald Meyer-Nebraska National Guard Museum Historian. 

The next meeting will be the Area C Oratorical Contest, also in Seward at the Nebraska National Guard Museum at 1:00 pm on December 1^st, 2024, where Esten will represent District 12 and compete for the opportunity to represent the Area C at the State Contest in January of 2025 and become one of the four State Finalists.

Group Photo-L-R Joe Ruzicka-Seward Commander American Legion Post 33, Zane Francescato-Judge, Marv Taylor-Judge, Laura Goracke-(Kinllee’s Mother), Kinlee Goracke-Junior Champion, Darrin Goracke (Kinlee’s Father), Esten Johnsen-District 12 American Legion-Ne Champion, Angela Johnsen (Esten’s Mother), Anna Downing-Judge, Marin Neal-District 12 Commander of Hickman, Ken Meyer-District 12 Oratorical Contest Chair and Sergeant of Arms for the Contest-representing NE Post 33 of Seward.

There were about 30 local high school students that volunteered and assisted in the annual “Bluejay Way” Community Service Day on Sunday, October 20, 2024. The day promoted community service at Seward High School and coordinated opportunities for the students to add to their community service hours.  The school and community introduced a wide variety of venues to serve as opportunities for the students to add to their list of community service hours or begin their community service program.  Each graduate at Seward High is required to complete 30 hours of community service as a qualification for graduation.

There were two teachers from SHS assisting with this event, Ross Briggs and Ashlee Ricket. Other community members volunteered and assisted guiding the students throughout the event in supervisory positions during the day. 

This event has been coined, "The Bluejay Way" and it was labeled a success for our students and community. All in all, there were 25 students, two teachers, and an extra adult + at each location, which amounts to around 40+ people helping out at five locations! 

SHS Students participating included the workers at the Civic Center and the Ne National Guard Museum, who were Nora Swanson, Cooper Hill, Kai Davia, Brianna Potrazt, Kris Anderson, and Zach Shiner, assisted by adults, Mark Kolterman, Clark Kolterman and Dr. Van Vahle.

Students assisting at the Seward County Genealogical Society House included Adam Rickert, Addilyn Sugden, Sage Prochaska, Nathan Kulhanek, and Emily Eis. 

The Parade Float helpers included Ella Gabriel, Avery Rodocker, Izzy Marker and Carissa Mines.

Students working at the Foster Friends House were Klay Johnston, Emerson Rucker, Olive Buell, Hailey Thoreson, Christie Brecka, Sophia Erwin and Delaney Manley.

The SHS students preparing for the CASA Scare at the Fair included Carson Delcamp, Sofie Allen, Colie Kimber, Hailey Ball, Amelia Juranek, Lily Jackson, Jayln Hagen, Adelyn Luebbe, and Catriona Mill.

Each of the locations continues to offer community service opportunities for volunteers.  Please contact them to assist with their programs.  The event was coordinated by SHS Key Club and local educators Ross Briggs and Ashlee Ricket – sponsors of the Seward High Key Club in Seward.  For more information on the program contact either teacher at SHS 402-643-2988 or email Ross Briggs at ross.briggs@sewardschools.org.

The committee hopes to sponsor a “Make-up” event for the Seward County Historical Society Museum in Goehner yet this fall and have scheduled another event for the Blue Jay Way in the spring of 2025!  For more information on the Blue Jay Way Day contact either Briggs or Rickert at Seward High. 

The statewide, annual “Girl’s Only” Quiz Bowl was held in Seward at the Seward Living Word Lutheran Church at 1300 West Hillcrest on Wednesday, October 2^nd in an all-day quiz bowl competition from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm.  The event is annually sponsored by the GFWC Nebraska Federation of Women’s Club’s to showcase high school girls in a competitive academic “general knowledge” competition.  High schools were invited statewide to share in this event and 49 teams entered this year’s contest.

The day began with a “Round Robin” tourney, where each team was guaranteed three rounds of quiz bowl contest competition to “warm the teams up” with practice rounds and determine the seeding placement for the afternoon’s single elimination tourney.  The teams were divided into three divisions, based on school size by the NSAA numbers with small, medium and large schools in competition.  The afternoon contest featured a bracketed contest, with teams seeded to play in a single elimination contest for first, second, third and fourth place.   There were 49 teams and contests were held in nine rooms throughout the church. The first-place teams won a trophy and individual team medals and the runner-up team won a trophy-donated by the GFWC NFWC.

The winners of the contests included…

Large School Division: First Place-Seward High Team A-Coach Melissa Pohl, Second Place- Seward High Team B-Coach Melissa Pohl, Third Place-Elkhorn South-Coach Abigail Cleary, Fourth Place-York High Team A-Coach Sam Due. 

Medium School Division: First Place-Fillmore Central-Geneva-Coach Ryan Komenda, Logan Magnolia-Iowa-Coach Kathy Foreman, Third Place-Kearney Catholic-Coach Polla Renken, Fourth Place-Raymond Central-Coach Courtney Polak. 

Small School Division: First Place-Shelton High-Coach Shanna Held, Second Place-Nebraska Christian Team A-Coach Dee Flynn, Third Place-Howells/Dodge-Traci Sindelar, Fourth Place- Nebraska Christian-Team B-Dee Flynn.

Volunteers for the tourney included the reader/judges for each room-Sue Imig, Nancy Schulz, Ellie Janda, Bonnie Kruse, Andy Jensen, and Clark Kolterman-all from Seward, Melissa Pohl from Utica and Kathy Wilcox from Crete, Kathy Huggins from Papillion, and Laura Sabatka from Fullerton.  Kathy Huggins, the State NFWC President from Papillion served as a host for the day, with Diane Uher from Clarkson the GFWC NFWC Chair and local GFWC coordinator of the tourney.  Riley Nuttleman served as the Quiz Bowl Master and Clark Kolterman was the tourney manager.  Pastor Scott Krohn coordinated the church’s facilities.  GFWC NFWC members Brooke Chandler and Rene’ Chandler with the GFWC Seward Woman’s Club, coordinated the lunch for the coaches and judges over the noon hour.

The schools attending included Columbus Scotus, Cross County, Shelby/Rising City, McCool Junction, Falls City, Raymond Central, Crete, Exeter/Milligan, Central City, York, Seward, Howells/Dodge, Oakland/Craig, Sandy Creek, Tri-County, Heartland-Henderson, Logan Magnolia (Iowa), Norris, Fullerton, Fillmore Central, Gretna, Dorchester, Ralston, Elkhorn High, Elkhorn South, Elkhorn North, East Butler, Nebraska Christian, Humphrey, Cross County, Thayer Central, Bennington, West Point/Beemer, Fillmore Central, Dorchester, Humphrey,  Shelton and Kearney Catholic.