Six Elkhorn Valley students have been selected for the spring 2019 Academic All-State team by the Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA).

Those honored were Ben Wilcox and Josiah Wriedt, boys golf; Amber Miller, music and girls track; Mitchell Petersen, music and boys track; Prestin Vondra, boys track and Kimberly Frey, girls track.

A maximum of two students are nominated by their schools per NSAA activity for their individual academic excellence, leadership and significant contributions.

To be eligible for the honor, students must be a varsity player or organizational leader who has played a significant role on the team or in the organizational activity and must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 93 percent or 3.7 on a 4.0-point scale or the equivalent. Any student, freshman through senior, is eligible for the honor.

Antelope County recipients by school:

Clearwater
Music - James Kester and Jacob Long
Boys Track & Field - Jacob Long and Eli Thiele

Elgin
Boys Golf - Hunter Reestman and Allyson Wemhoff
Music - Grace Rittscher and Allyson Wemhoff
Boys Track & Field - Colton Wright

Elkhorn Valley
Boys Golf - Ben Wilcox and Josiah Wriedt
Music - Amber Miller and Mitchell Petersen
Boys Track & Field - Mitchell Petersen and Prestin Vondra
Girls Track & Field - Kimberly Frey and Amber Miller

Neligh-Oakdale
Boys Golf - Hunter Charf and Austin Rice
Music - Austin Rice and Trey Svatos
Boys Track & Field - Cole Belitz and Ashton Higgins
Girls Track & Field - Emma Bixler and Claire Whitesel

Orchard
Boys Golf - Blake Hoke and Ryan Wilhelm
Music - Avery Cheatum and Kaci Wickersham
Girls Track & Field - JoCee Johnston and Kaci Wickersham

Pope John
Music - Breanna Bartak and Marissa Preister
Girls Track & Field - Lexi Bode and Faith Kinney

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A large American flag hung from the fire truck’s ladder near the highway as it fluttered in the breeze and waved its welcome.

School children chanted, “USA! USA! USA!” and flag-waving crowds of more than 100 people lined the roadway.

As onlookers squinted to see in the sunlight, dots of bright orange, blue, purple and black came into focus. Seven motorcycles representing the Legion Riders could be seen escorting a silver car down the street.

He was home.

Major Chad Boggs of Tilden returned home to a hero’s welcome last Thursday after his six- month deployment in the Middle East.

“As I drove into Tilden, I felt the love of not only my immediate family with me, but my extended family of the Tilden community celebrating my return as well,” he said.

Boggs, who also serves as the pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Tilden, smiled and waved at the crowds during his homecoming before turning his car into his driveway. He and his wife, Becky, exited the vehicle and tightly hugged their children. His parents, Tom and Lorna Boggs, and his  brother Troy, all of Neligh, each wrapped him in an emotional embrace. Boggs then ventured into the street to thank the Legion Riders, who had met him at the Battle Creek spur and led him down Hwy. 275 into Tilden.

“I felt humbled, yet proud, to represent all the veterans who have gone before me ,” he said of their escort.

Boggs, 46, was deployed for 205 days as a chaplain with the Air National Guard, which included 14 days in New Jersey for Field Craft Hostile training, as well as three months in Afghanistan and three months in Kuwait. He is currently assigned to the 155th ARW in Lincoln.
“It was very hard, emotionally, to be away, but I knew that it was even harder for my family at home dealing with the joys and challenges of daily life, including eight birthdays and three major holidays,” Boggs said.

He and his wife of 25 years have 10 children—Drew (20), Adam (18), Evan (16), Grant (15), Isabel (13), Asher (11), Micah (8), Leah (5), Luke (5) and Judah (2).

“Being away has given me a greater appreciation for my family and the true freedoms we experience living in the United States,” Boggs said. “I had a sense of peace while I was away, knowing that so many church members of Immanuel Lutheran, friends and family supported my family with prayers, meals, gifts and encouragement.”

A Neligh-native, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1991 after graduating from Neligh-Oakdale High School. Boggs later earned his bachelor of science degree from the University of Maryland European Division and his master of divinity from Concordia Seminary. He spent 15 years on active duty, and five years in the Air Force Reserves during his time in the seminary. Boggs has spent the past eight years as chaplain with the Air National Guard.

He said he felt surrounded by love during his recent deployment and since his return home.
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“Thank you to all of you who prayed and supported my family and I during this time,” Boggs said. “A special thank you to Immanuel Lutheran Church, the American Legion Riders and all who lined the highways and streets for the unforgettable welcome home.”

School: Elkhorn Valley Schools

Parents Names: Thamica Mahan

Siblings Names/Ages: Kevin Beard (15) Kalub Beard (12 )

What activities did you participate in while in high school?
Band, Cheer, Volleyball, Wrestling Manager, FFA, FBLA, Track and Field, Art, One Act, Student Council

What is your favorite memory of high school?
My favorite memory would have to be when I was in Chemistry class Mr. Amend bought the wrong size of marshmallows for our s’more lab so we had to use our brains and try to figure out how many small marshmallows will it take to make a big marshmallow.

What advice can you offer underclassmen?
Do your work and it is easier than people explain it to be aka personal finance

What are your future plans (college with major if known or workforce) and where do you hope to be in five years?
My future plans will be attending college at Briar Cliff. While I am there I will be majoring in Nursing after graduating I will hopefully move back to California and start working at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital.

School: Elkhorn Valley Schools

Parents Names: Shawn and Ryan Robertson and Riley Glynn

Siblings Names/Ages: Alex Ellison 24, Michael Glynn 14, Hunter Robertson 8, Kaylee Robertson 5, Jaxsyn, Robertson 3

What activities did you participate in while in high school?
Choir, show choir, FFA, FCCLA

What is your favorite memory of high school?
Throughout my four years at this school there has been so much that has happened. From countless arguments to uncontrollable giggles, there has been so much that has gone on that I simply cannot pick just one favorite memory of this place. How lucky am I to have so many reasons that make saying goodbye so difficult.

What advice can you offer underclassmen?
Have fun with high school. It’s not going to matter who had the most friends, or who was dating who. What matters is the connections you make, being nice to people isn’t hard or something you really need to try to hard at, holding a door open or sending a smile someone’s way could make all the difference in their day.

What are your future plans (college with major if known or workforce) and where do you hope to be in five years?
I will be attending Wayne in the fall and I want to be a chiropractor. After I graduate from Wayne, I will find a job and hopefully be in the process of obtaining my business degree so I can run my own practice. I don’t know what life has in store for me, but I’m just going to roll with it.

The Easter bunny visited Prairie View Assisted Living in Tilden this afternoon, bringing with it a golden egg.

​Jaxsyn Robertson, age 3, was the lucky winner of the golden egg during the Easter egg hung.

School: Elkhorn Valley

Parents Names: Brandon and Jen Rystrom

Siblings Names/Ages: Colten 15 and Easton 12

What activities did you participate in while in high school?
Band, choir, show choir, FBLA, FCCLA, volleyball, basketball, track

What is your favorite memory of high school?
Going to Worlds of Fun my sophomore year.

What advice can you offer underclassmen?
To never give up no matter how hard it gets, and it may get frustrating at times, but push through it.

What are your future plans (college with major if known or workforce) and where do you hope to be in five years?
To go to Northeast and graduate but I don’t know what I want to do yet, but after I graduate get a job and go on from there.

Five Elkhorn Valley students were inducted into the National Honor Society earlier this month. 

2019 inductees are (left to right) Jace Thompson (junior), Jacob Cleveland (sophomore), Kayleigh Fernau (sophomore), Benjamin Wilcox (sophomore) and Adam Miller (sophomore).​

School: Elkhorn Valley Schools

Parents Names: Cindi Rath and Jake Knox

Siblings Names/Ages: Brandi Jean, 30, Xac Rath, 29, Tasha Rath, 27

What activities did you participate in while in high school?
Art, Teammates

What is your favorite memory of high school?
The art trip my Junior year.

What advice can you offer underclassmen?
Sometimes all you need is a good cry to get everything back on track.

What are your future plans (college with major if known or workforce) and where do you hope to be in five years?
I plan to attend the Berlin University of the Arts and major in Fine Arts. I hope in five years I’m still living in Germany possibly still attending school or being part of the workforce there.