The Blog

Student Achievements Honored at Academic Excellence Celebration

Nebraska Christian held its second annual Academic Excellence Celebration the morning of May 10. This celebration, according to Superintendent Josh Cumpston, is intended “to recognize students who have done well and hopefully motivate and inspire younger students to be aware of scholarship opportunities that are available.”

The morning kicked off with scholarship presentations, including a $1,000 scholarship from Cornerstone Bank that was given to Emily Halstead. Other seniors were also recognized for the scholarships they’ve been awarded, and special recognition was given to Benny Stevens, who will enroll at the United States Military Academy at West Point. (For more information on Stevens, see page 4 of the March-April Advance.)

Another special scholarship was given out, this time to two underclassmen. The Mary & Victor Snell Scholarship is intended for students who are continuing their education at Nebraska Christian. Mary Ann Keeling, the Snells’ daughter, was on hand to present the scholarship to its first recipients.

Also recognized at the event were students who received academic letters. The 25 students on the “Highest Honors” honor roll received special recognition.

Students on the Highest Honors Honor Roll

Other students recognized included the new National Honor Society members, those who received perfect attendance, the Goldenrod Conference All-Academic team, and international students who received a score of 90 or higher on the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language).

New National Honor Society Members

Perfect Attendance: Halle Strong, Baron Bai, Michelle Huang, Alex Hao, Barry Zhang

Goldenrod All-Conference Academic Team. Row 1: Marilla Flynn, Emily Halstead, Jaydon Elge, Juan Lasso Velasco. Row 2: Alex Hao, Grace Wu, Morgan Schulze, Benny Stevens.

TOEFL score award winners: Harry Nguyen, Eva Liu, Grace Wu, Alex Hao.

The morning ended with some athletic awards. First, six students received Academic All-State honors for their contributions in their sports/activities and in the classroom. Then seniors Katie Entz, Benny Stevens, and Andrew Winsterman received the Shield Award, which is presented each year to one or two male and female athletes who exhibit strong Christian character. The head coaches and athletic director select the students who are honored. Finally, Andrew Winsterman received a special award from Coach Carl Ostrand for being a 3-sport athlete for four years.

Spring Academic All-State Recipients: Juan Lasso Velasco, music; Benny Stevens, boys track; Andrew Winsterman, boys track; Olivia Prettyman, girls track; Emily Halstead, girls track; Marilla Flynn, music.

Shield Award Winners Katie Entz, Andrew Winsterman, and Benny Stevens.