Burke Bound!

Six Exeter-Milligan tracksters are headed to Burke for the State Track Meet!  Good luck on Friday!

Congratulations to:
Kate Jansky 3200 meter run
Trevor Luzum - High Jump, Triple Jump, Long Jump,110 meter high hurdles
Trystan Brandt - Triple Jump, Long Jump, 1600 meter relay
Eric Olsen - 1600 meter relay
Sam Zeleny - 1600 meter relay
Jack Dinneen - 1600 meter relay

Exeter-Milligan Graduate is the last Graduate From Doane College

Click here to read about Exeter-Milligan graduate Zach Jensen who won the honor to be the last graduate from Doance College (as it changes it's name to Doane University.

Honors Night at Exeter-Milligan

Trystan Brandt, a member of the Exeter-Milligan National Honor Society, talks about the society at the Exeter-Milligan Honors night.

Above - Sydney Hall lights a candle, left, as Ella Wilkins talks about the National Honor Society (Samantha Horne is in the background).

Below – Members of the Exeter-Milligan National Honor Society front row from the left are: Hannah Horne, Bailey Steuben, Kelsey Bigelow, Ella Wilkins, Haylee Sheffield.  Back row from the left are:  Patrick Murphy, Sydney Hall, Tara Mueller, Samantha Horne, Ashley Benorden and Trystan Brandt.

Exeter-Milligan recognized the outstanding accomplishments of their students during Honors Night on Tuesday, May 3.

First, Exeter-Milligan inducted four more students into the prestigious National Honor Society.  Samantha Horne welcomed the audience and then she, along with current members of the Society Trystan Brandt, Haylee Sheffield, Ella Wilkins, Sydney Hall, Bailey Steuben, and Ashley Benorden introduced the mission of the organization.

Inducted into the National Honor Society this year were Patrick Murphy, Tara Mueller, Kelsey Bigelow and Samantha Horne.

After the ceremony each department at Exeter-Milligan had the opportunity to review the academic year and recognize the outstanding students in their subject.

Math teacher Miss Severson was first and she spoke about the junior high math contests along with recognizing the annual staff and the hard work they have done for this year’s school annual.  She also read the names of those who participated in Actions day along with the awards they earned.

Mrs. Pribyl spoke on the senior high math competitions and thanked the boosters for their donations of lunch for the students as they were traveling.

Mr. Marr and Mrs. Wahl introduced the members of the junior and senior high quiz bowl teams.  Mrs. Wahl reported on the eighth grade teams dominance this year and Mr. Marr recognized Spencer Pribyl who had participated all four years of high school.  Marr also presented foreign exchange student Karoline Knudsen a special “trophy” he found on the roadside.

Mrs. Murphy, band and vocal instructor, gave the audience a brief review of the year’s music events.  The highlight of the year was the band receiving a superior ranking from all three judges at the district music contest.  She recognized Jack Dinneen with the Semper Fidelis award with the second highest amount of letter points with Janey Due receiving the John Phillips Sousa award for the most letter points in band.

Mrs. Barnhart recognized the students who participated in one-act play production and speech.  She noted that two actors, Carmin Colacci and Ella Wilkins, received outstanding performances at the district level.

Mrs. Vossler gave an overview of the Family Career Community Leaders of America activities for the year.  The group was busy with roadside cleanup, their pink out, and orange out along with their district and state conferences.  FCCLA also had several STAR projects qualify for the state competition this year.

Mrs. Kanode presented the art awards, recognizing the students who had won at different competitions and those who were instrumental in making the Family  Art Night a success.  She presented Brianna Beatham with the artist of the year award.

Superintendent Paul Sheffield presented the highest GPA awards to each grade 7 – 12.  For the seventh grade, Jaiden Papik 98.5, eighth grade was Caitlin Murphy with a 99.93, ninth grade was Mitchell Manning with a 98.95, tenth grade was Patrick Murphy with 99.57, eleventh grade was Ashley Benorden with 99.42 and twelfth grade was Janey Due with 96.0.

Sheffield presented the Citizenship awards from the American Legion and Auxiliary to Brianna Beatham, Patrick Murphy and Kirby Soukup.  The All School Citizenship Award was given to eighth grader Caitlin Murphy.

Actions Day participants.

Mr. Marr presents Karoline Knudsen with her "trophy" from quiz bowl.

Exeter-Milligan Junior Senior High Band Members with District plaque.

Members of FCCLA

Local Concordia University Graduate

Concordia University, Nebraska confers graduate and undergraduate degrees

SEWARD, NE (05/09/2016)-- Concordia University, Nebraska held its 109th commencement on Saturday, May 7, 2016. The university awarded undergraduate or graduate degrees to 353 graduates in May 2016. Graduates receiving a degree in December 2015, May 2016 or August 2016 were invited to participate in the ceremony. Colonel Eric J. Teegerstrom of Firth, Nebraska, presented the commencement address, and Concordia presented additional honorary awards and degrees.
Concordia Nebraska graduates recognized at the 2016 commencement ceremony as earning a degree include:

Clarisa White, Exeter, Neb., Bachelor of Arts

Local UNL Graduates

2,800-plus degrees awarded during UNL commencement exercises

LINCOLN, NE (05/10/2016)-- The University of Nebraska-Lincoln granted 2,816 degrees during historic commencement exercises May 6 and 7.
In his final event as UNL chancellor, Harvey Perlman delivered the address at the undergraduate commencement May 7 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Art Thompson, president of the Cooper Foundation in Lincoln, received the Nebraska Builder Award during the ceremony.
Timothy Carr, department chair and the Jean Sundell Tinstman Professor of Nutrition and Health Sciences at UNL, delivered the address at the graduate and professional degrees ceremony May 6 at the arena. Lyle Denniston, legal journalist, professor and author, addressed the law graduates May 7 at the Lied Center for Performing Arts.
The graduates are from 43 states, the District of Columbia and 45 countries. The following is a list of area graduates. Some international students are listed under their adopted hometowns in the United States. Some students request not to be listed.

Exeter: Amanda Jean Dinneen, College of Education and Human Sciences, bachelor of science in education and human sciences.

Exeter: Kelsey Kay Swartz, College of Education and Human Sciences, bachelor of science in education and human sciences.

Thirteen Exeter-Milligan Graduates

Above – The Exeter-Milligan class of 2016 lines up for photos just before graduation.  Front row from the left: Sam Zeleny, Kirby Soukup, Brianna Beatham, Marissa Howard, Janey Due, Johnathon Mounce, Elliot Erdkamp, Carmin Colacci.  Back row from the left:  Brayden Olsen, Hunter Worrell, Spencer Papik, Jack Dinneen, Sean Maxson.

Exeter-Milligan Superintendent Paul Sheffield presented a class of thirteen graduates for diplomas on Saturday, May 7 in the Exeter gym.

This was the first Exeter-Milligan class to graduate who attended all thirteen grades together.

Their class flower was the Sunflower and colors were maroon and purple.  Their motto was “Don’t tell us is the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon.”

After the processional was played by Ella Wilkins and Caitlin Murphy, Senior Brianna Beatham gave the welcome.

After the senior video was played the senior thoughts were given by Janey Due and Spencer Papik.  Due opened her speech with a quote from Nelson Mandela, “After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”

She reflected on the special traditions the class had embraced along with the wonderful memories they made on their senior trip.

The eighth graders were recognized with certificates for completion of eighth grade.

School Board Vice-President Tim Pribyl presented the class of 2016 with their diplomas and invited them to move their tassels over before the crowd was dismissed.

The graduates received well-wishers in a reception line outside the school.

Above – The Exeter-Milligan class of 2016 strikes a pose before walking in to “Pomp and Circumstance” at graduation.

Below – Exeter-Milligan valedictorian Janey Due speaks at graduation.

Above – Exeter-Milligan School Board Vice-President Tim Pribyl presents Jack Dinneen with his diploma.

Exeter Senior Center Hosts Senior to Senior Breakfast

Above -Rhonda Stokebrand speaks to the Exeter-Milligan seniors and their grandparents at the Senior to Senior Breakfast.

Below – The Exeter-Milligan seniors enjoying breakfast at the Exeter Senior Center.

It’s always a good thing to have a little breakfast in your stomach before you go to graduation practice and the Exeter Senior Center has made that happen for Exeter-Milligan seniors for fourteen years in a row.

Of course, it’s an added bonus that they invite the grandparents of each Exeter-Milligan senior to attend breakfast together at the Exeter Senior Center.

Friday morning 11 of the 13 graduates joined over thirty of their grandparents for a delicious breakfast of egg casseroles, homemade rolls, fruit, juice and coffee.

This program, the senior to senior breakfast, was initiated by Elva McBride, a long-time member of the Exeter Senior Center.

Rhonda Stokebrand, who works with Fillmore County Senior Services, spoke at the event noting, “It’s the parents who get all the recognition as they should.  But we also know how important the love and support of grandparents can be in the lives of their grandchildren.”

The students and their grandparents were served the breakfast by the many volunteers at the senior center.  Stokebrand also introduced all the officers of the Senior Center board of directors who were present.

After breakfast was consumed, Stokebrand asked the seniors to introduce themselves and elaborate on their plans after graduation.  She also asked them to introduce all of their grandparents and family members who were present.

The grandparents were also given an opportunity to share stories about the graduates and evicted a few laughs from the crowd.  The success of the class on the sports field and academically was mentioned.  Also, the grandparents were very proud of the four graduates who are Eagle scouts.

J.J. and Judy Dinneen were invited as grandparents to the event and expressed their thanks to the senior center, “We both think it is a great experience and we are so excited that the senior center does this every year.  It’s a great way to spend time with our senior graduates and for them to relax in the morning.”

Stokebrand reminded the graduates, “No matter what, always remember you’ll always have a link to the Exeter and Milligan communities and family, friends and neighbors like us who are thinking of you and supporting you all the way.”

The graduates enjoyed some time visiting with their grandparents at the conclusion of the breakfast.

The senior center gave away two Casey’s gifts cards to the graduates by drawing the names of Spencer Papik and Kirby Soukup.

Above – Elliot Erdkamp visits with his grandmother Kate Harre,  left, and his great Aunt Jody Senter after the Senior to Senior breakfast.

Below – Jack Dinneen visits with his grandmothers Maxine Filipi, left, and Judy Dinneen, right after the Senior to Senior breakfast.