Saturday, March 25, 2023

Generations Bank opens branch at Exeter-Milligan school

At the ribbon cutting of the Exeter-Milligan branch of the Generations Bank are front from the left, Jennifer Marr, Ashley Kassik, Kelly Lammers, Alan Emshoff (with scissors), Dr. Jennifer Davidson, Paul Sheffield, Laura Kroll, Amy Emshoff, Makaela Holz, Kay Due and the Exeter-Milligan elementary classes in the background.
 

Exeter-Milligan elementary students witnessed the opening of a new branch of Generations Bank tailored to their needs at the school on Friday afternoon, March 17.

The branch opened under the guidance of Generations Bank Special Projects Manager Jennifer Marr. Her motivation in guiding this project was, “The students of today are our customers of tomorrow. We believe in this program and want to do our part to prepare our future customers by providing them with the tools they need to confidently manage their money, becoming next generation savers!”

Also attending the opening were Generations Bank President Alan Emshoff who opened the ceremony and later cut the ribbon.  He introduced Dr. Jennifer Davidson, President of the Nebraska Council on Economic Education.

Davidson, who is also an Economics professor at the University of Nebraska, announced to the assembled students that their branch was the 14th elementary savings programs opened this year but she predicted “this will be one of the strongest programs in Nebraska.”

After lauding the solid relationship between Generations Bank and the Exeter-Milligan district Davidson explained to the students the impact that saving can have on their future and how she has seen the elementary program in schools like Thayer Central make a difference 15 years later.

Also addressing the students was Kelly Lammers, Director of the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance, who helped the students understand how money is kept safe in Nebraska banks. 

He also touted the strength of Nebraska banks and noted the investment Nebraska banks have made in small business and agriculture loans in their communities which is 10 billion dollars more than most other states.

Lammers encouraged the students to think of their savings accounts like a winter coat, “It’s there when you need it.”

After the ribbon cutting was held, the student tellers received some last minute tips from Marr and Generations Bank Assistant Cashier Ashley Kassik before they started taking deposits from the elementary customers.  According to Marr, Kassik also had an integral part in bringing the project to fruition.

Student tellers were fifth graders who applied for the job and were interviewed by bank staff before chosen to man the teller stations.  Kindergarten through fifth graders were welcome to deposit funds which remain in their account until the end of fifth grade.

The funds are held in a special account with the bank.  Instead of regular interest the students earn prizes for each time they deposit. And it’s not just a bonus for the students, according to Exeter-Milligan Principal Laura Kroll, it helps meet an education requirement, “The Financial Literacy Act which the state recently passed requires financial literacy instruction in grades K-8. It will also be a graduation requirement for this year's juniors. When this program was brought to our attention by Alan Emshoff we knew that it would fit in well with the new state requirements. Being able to partner with a local business like Generations Bank was just the cherry on top.  We are excited to have students start depositing this week!”

Exeter-Milligan Superintendent Paul Sheffield added, “We look at this as a win-win situation.  This is an opportunity for our students to learn about saving for the future working hand-in-hand with a local entity and also helping meet the new financial literacy standards.”

Generations Bank President Alan Emshoff explained that the banks motivation, “was to create our next generation of savers in the community.  The staff at Generations Bank felt that the in school branch at E-M elementary would be a positive way for our bank to promote the habit of savings at a young age.  By developing a habit of saving, saving with a goal in mind and getting some real life experience of having an account of their own, students in the program have a greater chance of becoming financially responsible citizens when they are grown and out on their own.”

The branch will be open on Friday afternoons for deposits from the elementary students.    

 

Depositors at the new Generations Bank branch at Exeter-Milligan line up for their turn to start saving. Far right, Mrs. Sara Pella (substitute teacher) looks on as one of the Next Generation depositors opens a savings account and makes a deposit with the assistance of tellers Liam Capek (far left), Lynn Jurgensen (middle) and Crosby Oldehoeft (right).
                                                                    Kelly Lammers
                                                                Alan Emshoff
                                                                    Dr. Jennifer Davidson
Exeter-Milligan fifth graders applied and interviewed to be bank tellers at the new branch of Generations Bank at Exeter-Milligan elementary school.  Tellers pictured in the front row from the left are Lynn Jurgensen, Liam Capek, and Gracelyn Becker.  Back row from the left are Archer Kanode, and Crosby Oldehoeft.

 

Friday, March 24, 2023

Throwback Thursday 03/17/2013

 

03/17/2013

 

Exeter residents were informed at a town hall meeting Monday evening that their post office will have a reduction in hours starting approximately April 20th.

 

Todd Case, the Post Office Regional Manager along with Seward Postmaster Greg Walz, presented the findings of a recent postal survey in Exeter and announced upcoming changes to the hours the Exeter Post office is open.

 

Exeter’s proposed hours will be reduced from 8 hours to 6 hours with the new hours Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with a lunch time from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Saturday from 7:45-9:15 a.m.

 

Exeter Public Library and Gilbert Public Library in Friend are participated in Southeast Public Library System’s “Library Madness.”

 

For the next four weeks libraries competed against other local libraries for the number of checkouts.  The library with the highest total of checkouts per capita will move up to the next bracket. The contest ended in the first week of April.

 

The Exeter Chamber of Commerce again hosted the Exeter Easter Egg Hunt at the Exeter-Milligan building.  Because of cool temperatures and muddy grounds the kids got to hunt inside this year.  Over 30 kids along with their parents and siblings hunted in four different areas of the building.  All of the eggs were stuffed and hidden by the Exeter-Milligan FCCLA members.  The Easter Bunny made an appearance and there were prizes drawn for boys and girls in each age category.

 

Exeter-Milligan Track teams got ready for the season to start.  Participants on the girls team included: Taylor Erdkamp, Jennifer Pribyl, Alicia Bigelow, Jackie Luzum, Megan Zwickl, Maitlyn Thomsen, Erica Yound, Madeleine Ensrud, Logan Zeleny, Kylie Briske, Madison Horne, Alexis Trauger, Amber Pribyl, Marissa Howard, Brittany Beatham, Brianna Beatham, Ashley and Meghan Miller.

 

Participants on the boys team included: Kyle Jensen, Brody Kresak, Dusty Axline, Dalton Zelenka, Broc Mueller, Taylor May, Nolan White, Robbie Androyna, Huntington Trauger, James Sluka, Wyatt Clift, Jesper Anker, Johnathon Mounce, Elliot Erdkamp, Jack Dinneen, Spencer Papik Sam Zeleny and Sean Maxson.

 

Exeter-Milligan Boys Golf included Devin Sheffield, Brayden Olsen, Preston Motis, Nathan Oliva, Garrett Pribyl and Cody Filipi.

Track Team Competes at McCool Junction

The Exeter-Milligan Track team competed in a tri-team meet at McCool Junction on Wednesday with Hampton as the third team.

For the boys:

Avery Nichols - 5th place High Jump, 3rd place 110 High hurdles, 5th place 300 hurdles

Daysan Staskal - 4th place Triple Jump, 3rd place 300 hurdles

Logan Krupicka - 3rd place Shot Put, 3rd place Discus

Troy Kallhoff - 5th 3200M run, 5th place 1600 M run

Carver Kanode- 1st place Long Jump, 2nd place Pole Vault, 4th place 300 hurdles

Tyler Due - 1st place Pole Vault, 4th place 110 High Hurdles, 2nd place 300 hurdles

 4 x 100 - 3rd place -Avery Nichols, Cade Kresak, Troy Kallhoff, Daysan Staskal

For the girls:

Savana Krupicka - 1st place triple jump, 1st place 400 M, 3rd place 100M, 2nd place 200M

Alivia Luzum -  4th place shot put

Olivea Swanson - 5th place shot put, 2nd place discus

Kiley Oldehoeft - 5th place discus, 2nd place long jump

Kierra Papik - 4th place 3200M run 

Jozie Kanode - 1st place Pole Vault, 3rd place

Selah Petersen - 4th place Pole Vault, 3rd place 400 M

Kaydence Haase - 2nd place 100 Hurdles, 3rd place 300 hurdles, 5th place 200M

4 x 100 2nd place Lily Jeffres, Kaydence Haase, Jozie Kanode, Kiley Oldehoeft

4 x 100 5th place  Kierra Papik, Olivea Swanson, Alivia Luzum, Kmila Benitez











Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Exeter-Milligan Hosts Open House/Reveal for New Welding Booths

Welding students join Exeter-Milligan shop teacher Miranda Hornung in a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday morning in the Exeter shop.  Pictured from the left are Devin Harrison, Carver Kanode, Daysan Staskal, Hornung, Cade Kresak, Mikey Bartu, Josh Meyer and Trenton Vossler.

 

The Exeter-Milligan shop building got a massive make over this summer.  Previously, the shop was focused on woodworking and automotive classes and with the retirement of Dean Filipi and the hiring of Miranda Hornung the focus shifted to welding.

An open house and reveal was held on Friday, March 3 with many of those who contributed to the transformation present.  Hornung opened the celebration and introduced two students, Cade Kresak and Mikey Bartu, who shared about how the welding program has worked, what they have learned and the results of their recent competition.

Hornung took the opportunity to thank many of the corporations and individuals who helped make the transformation possible.  She included Tuttle, Inc., Horizontal Boring and Tunneling, Klute Truck Equipment along with Matheson Gas.  Several of the companies donated metal and Tuttle has also loaned a TIG welder and consumables to the program.

Exeter-Milligan/Friend FFA Boosters donated the funds for the welding carts which were placed in each booth.

Some of the extensive renovation included a new air exchange system, new lighting, and new booth areas.

A representative from the SCC welding program recently spoke with the students and Hornung noted that the district will be offering dual credit welding next year.

Hornung noted, “Learning the trade of welding is more vital now than ever before in the agriculture and industrial technology industries. Not only will this shop renovation help students learn and practice welding techniques on different joints and types of metal, but also create career opportunities for their future. Connecting skills that students learn in class with potential job opportunities is a major goal of this program.”

Sheffield concurred, “When discussing a vision for the ag program, by updating the welding area we would be able to offer dual credit welding classes for our students. Our overall goal is to provide more opportunities for our student that can help prepare them for the future.”

The students in current welding classes will be making a metal work table to sit outside of the booths and Hornung hopes to add a water tank for cooling metal.

 

Hornung hopes to incorporate the welding area in several of her classes, “As part of the ‘8th Grade Ag’ class, students will be introduced to welding through lessons on shop safety and welding equipment identification, and have the chance to spend a couple of weeks in the shop practicing basic joints and completing a small project. For high school grades, first-time welders can take "Introduction to Welding" class to learn the basics of each of the four main welding processes,  practice common joints, and complete a project. Once a student completes the introductory course, they have the opportunity to take the Dual-Credit welding course (through SCC) for more advanced welds and college credit. Working in a welding-related career requires individual responsibility and basic foundational skills, so those will be two major focuses of our program.”

 


 

Exeter-Milligan shop teacher Miranda Hornung shows the contents of the new welding booths in the Exeter-Milligan shop building during the open house on Friday, March 3.