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Every month the students in the Leigh High School gather at an assembly to discover what three students are this month’s “Student of the Month.” This award is based on the votes of teachers that think which students have gone above and beyond on their schoolwork and extracurricular activities. This month’s “Student of the Month” winners are Kammy Held, Brayden Loseke, and Luke Eisenmann. 

Our first winner for “Student of the Month” was senior Kammy Held. Her parents are Keal and Heather Held of Leigh. Her grandparents are Mike and Joy Malena of Leigh, and the late Robert and Lorraine Held of Leigh. 

She participates in a numerous amount of extracurricular activities, which include FFA, One-Act, Journalism, YAC, FBLA, and Dance. When asked what her favorite subject was in school she responded with, “My favorite subject in school is ag class. It helps me prepare for the future with being an ag education teacher, and it also enhances my knowledge of agriculture.”

Her favorite hobbies out of school are showing livestock and hanging out with friends. When asked what she wants to do after high school she said, “I have gotten accepted to UNL and am going there in the fall of 2025. I am going to major in Agricultural Education and minor in Ag Communications.”

This is her first time receiving “Student of the Month”. When asked how she feels getting this award she says, “I feel proud and honored for receiving this award because I have never gotten it. All of my hard work and dedication has paid off in school!”

Teachers said, “In the past year, Kammy has quietly been working her tail off, especially in her college classes. She has taken a very rigorous college course load this year.  She is also a leader in our FFA chapter and dedicated to all extracurriculars she participates in. She has really opened up and seems to be enjoying her senior year.”

Our second winner for Student of the Month was junior Brayden Loseke. His parents are Brett and Kim Loseke. His grandparents are Rick and Judy Loseke and Marv and the late Janet Janssen.

He participates in many extracurricular activities, including FBLA, Quiz Bowl, National Honor Society, FFA, Stream Team, YAC, Speech, and One-Act. His favorite subjects in school are history and science. Out of school, Brayden enjoys reading and building model kits. In the future Brayden plans on going into something either studying mechanical engineering at UNL or studying aerospace engineering somewhere. 

Brayden has received this award three times. When asked how he feels receiving this award he says, “I was surprised that I won the award, but it’s always nice to be recognized for my work.”

Teachers in the Leigh High School says, “He works hard and really cares about his grades and projects. He is always working to do his very best in whatever he is working toward. He is one of the few that when presented free time, he is almost always working. 

Our third “Student of the Month” winner was junior Luke Eisenmann. His parents are Dave and Kim Eisenmann. 

He also is in many extracurricular activities, which include FFA, Football, YAC, Speech, One Act, and Quiz Bowl. His favorite subject is math. Out of school he enjoys going out with friends. In the future, Luke plans on going into ag education. 

Luke has received this award three times. When asked how he feels about receiving this award, he says, "It’s an honor to receive this award and it goes to show all of my hard work and time I’ve been putting into school and extracurriculars."

His teachers also had many things to say: “Luke has really grown into a great leader in our school and a role model for younger students. Luke makes school fun, but this year especially he has also really taken things seriously within the classroom, in his fine arts and FFA, and studying for the ACT test.  Every morning, he is in the hallway practicing his speeches, and he took LOTS of notes during ACT prep.”

Congratulations to Kammy, Brayden, and Luke!

The State FBLA Conference was April 10-12 in Kearney. The Leigh chapter, in its first year as its own chapter, had 9 members attend. 

During the state convention, the chapter earned the Feed Nebraska ribbon, March of Dimes ribbon, and the 7Up ribbon.

Junior Brayden Loseke found great success and was named state champion in Cybersecurity and qualified for Nationals! Brayden also earned 5th place in Management Information Systems. 

Senior Emily Stender earned 6th in Management Information Systems. Brayden and Emily earned 6th in Network Design. Emily also earned 8th in Digital Animation.

Senior Paige Kurpgeweit earned Who's Who recognition and All-State Quality Member. Paige also earned 2 Business Achievement Awards - Contributor and Leader. 

Amaiya Ross earned one Business Achievement Award - Contributor. The chapter also earned Champion Chapter and will be recognized at Nationals.

The group is sponsored by Mrs. Jennifer Maliha. 

The chapter's president Paige Kurpgeweit stated “I thought that the State Leadership Conference was an amazing experience. I am grateful for the experience and all the memories I have made throughout the years. Thank you to Mrs. Maliha and all of the leadership team for making the 2024-2025 year the best year.”

Officer Brayden Loseke stated, “State FBLA was very exciting this year. I competed in multiple events and did well in three of them. I'm very happy with how I did in Cybersecurity. I am very excited for Nationals and hope to do well there.”

Nationals will be held June 29-July 2 in Anaheim, California.

April 17 marked a special day for Leigh elementary students, as they welcomed Nebraska First Lady Suzanne Pillen to Leigh schools! 

Mrs. Pillen came to Leigh schools to read to the 3rd grade class. She read the story Right This Very Minute. 

The visit was orchestrated by Mrs. Kim Loseke as part of Mrs. Pillen’s “Bushels of Stories” initiative, in which she has been working with the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation since 2023 to share books and stories with students across the state about where their food comes from. 

3rd Grade Teacher Mrs. Loseke said, “We were fortunate that First Lady Pillen was able to visit us with Bushels of Stories through “Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom.” She shared about agriculture, the importance of literacy, and being appreciative. Students shared about their experiences with agriculture, and she encouraged them to thank their farming families and others important in their daily lives.”

The students had a great time listening to Mrs. Pillen and asking questions! 

On Wednesday, April 16, the Clarkson-Leigh boys’ golf team hosted their 10th annual Patriot Invite golf tournament at the Club 91 Golf Course. This year's invite consisted of 16 teams and 75 golfers from all over the area. 

The Patriots five varsity golfers for this meet were Dexter Indra, Parker Sayers, Wyatt Langhorst, Trevor Hoffman, and Cash Fehringer. It was a beautiful day with a little bit of wind, which caused some challenges throughout the day. 

In the end, freshman Trevor Hoffman finished 21st overall, leading the Patriot team with an 87. Following Hoffman was Sayers and Indra who placed 22nd and 28th, respectively. To round out the team was Wyatt Langhorst placing 56th and Cash Fehringer placing 58th. The Patriots shot 372 as a team, resulting in them tied for 7th place. 

Head Coach Connor Blum said, "The boys battled hard against really good competition. They came up a little short of getting a medal, but I was proud of the scores that they shot.”

Sophomore Wyatt Langhorst said, “The team competed well. It was nice to be able to compete on our home course.” 

On Thursday, April 10th, the Clarkson-Leigh track team traveled to West Point for a very competitive meet. This was the first meet that both FFA and FCCLA members were able to attend, making it very successful. 

Although the wind presented a challenge for competition, many Patriot athletes competed very well. The girls’ team received runner-up overall! 

Sophomore Maizie Stoklasa brought home four 1st place medals in the 100M dash (12.47 s), Triple Jump (35 ft), 4x100M Relay, and Long Jump (18’4). Maizie beat the school record in Long Jump, as well. 

On the boys’ side, junior Levi Gall placed 2nd in Discus (41-10). 

“This track meet was very successful all around. It was a great meet that got added to the schedule to have another meet to compete in, said senior Brynn Settje. “Many people had a very successful day and it was great getting to watch everyone compete.” 

Girls’ Results:

High Jump: Ava Baumert - 4’8 (second place); Ella Baumert - 4’8 (third place); Lexis Gleason- 4.’2; Triple Jump: Maizie Stoklasa- 35’; Ella Baumert - 34’11 (second place); Brynn Settje- 33.5 (fourth place); Long Jump: Maizie Stoklasa-18’4 (first place); Brynn Settje- 16’10 (second place); Ella Baumert-14’11 (sixth place); Shot Put: Bailey Rios - 29’4; Emersyn Urban - 27’2; Karly Wendt - 27’4; Discus: Emersyn Urban - 84’7 (fourth place); Karly Wendt - 69’9; 100M Dash: Maizie Stoklasa - 12.47; Rae Scott - 13.98; 200M Dash: Rae Scott - 30.29; 400M Dash: Kaylee Brabec - 1:10.81 (sixth place); Baylee Settje - 1:11.3 (eighth place); Kendall Schneider - 1: 11.45; 100M Hurdles: Clarie Holoubek - 18.12 (third place); Lexis Gleason - 18.31 (sixth place); Josie Brabec - 19.7; 800M Run: Izzy Hollatz - 2.50 (sixth place); Reese Wietfeld - 3.03; 1 Mile: Reann Bruhn - 6: 14 (fifth place); Brianne Kuhr - 7:01; 4x800M Relay: Izzy Hollatz; Brianne Kuhr; Gracie Sortino; Reann Bruhn - 11:25.7 (third place); 4x400M Relay: Baylee Settje; Ava Kasik; Kendall Schneider; Ella Baumert - 4:40.81 (third place); 4x100M Relay: Brynn Settje; Kendall Schneider; Ava Kasik; Maizie Stoklasa - 52.2

Boys’ Results: 

Triple Jump: Easton Brabec - 33’9; Cole Vodehnal - 30’9; Long Jump: Cole Vodehnal - 14’5; Jeryn Streubing - 14’3.5; Shot Put: Levi Gall - 116-10 (fifth place); Hunter Gall - 71-05; Discus: Levi Gall - 41-10; Hunter Gall - 30-07; 100M Dash: Blake Loseke - 11.54 (fourth place); 200M Dash - 24.9; Logan Stodola - 27.3; Cole Vodehnal - 27.72; 400M Dash: Jeryn Streubing - 1:02; 800M Run: Nile Jones - 2:17.77 (third place); Otto Crecco - 2:33.93; 1 Mile: Easton Brabec - 5:23.74 (fifth place)  

On Friday, April 11, the Leigh choir and band performed at the Leigh High School gym. 

Sophomore band member Wyatt Langhorst said, “It was nice to perform in front of the home crowd, to show what we have been working on.”

The High school choir sang “Here Comes the Sun” and “Lunar Lullaby.” The Junior High Band performed “Smoke on the Water,” “Gimme Some Lovin,’” and “Paint it Black.” 

The Junior High Choir sang “Cantar!” “Most People are Good,” and “I’m Still Standing.” The High School Band played “Alamo March” and “Blue Ridge Overture.” 

There were three soloists. Junior Sydney Messerlie sang “Wayfaring Stranger.” Senior Paige Kurpgeweit sang “How Can I Keep from Singing?” and senior Emily Stender performed “Turquoise” on the trombone.

Band and Choir instructor Sydney Wemhoff said. "The concert went very well. It was a great opportunity for our high school students to perform some of their District Music Contest pieces in front of an audience. The contest will be held next Friday, April 25, at Norfolk High School. The band will be performing both of their pieces, while the choir will present one piece as a small women's ensemble. We also have seven soloists, three duets, and one trio competing. We wish them all the best of luck!"

A basic Google search will tell you that the average-sized American family is 3.  If this were my family, that would mean I would be an only child. Coming from the big family that I do, this is something I truly cannot even fathom.  I look at my life with my very large family, I feel so blessed to have been able to grow up with the family I have. 

Growing up with three brothers can be a handful, especially being the only girl. But, being the only girl does come with benefits. On the plus side, I’ve never had to share a bed with any of my siblings on vacation, and most of the time I get what I want, even if I have to pay for it. I never have hand-me-downs from my older siblings, and I never have to sit in the back of the pick-up on long car rides in between my brothers. And the best part is I’ve never had to share a room with any of my siblings. 

On the other hand, there are some downsides. I had nobody to talk to, and I never had anybody to play with growing up, and now I am always forced to help cook dinner or bake cookies or brownies. Another disadvantage is that in the future, when I get married, I will be the only one in my immediate family with a different last name, but I wouldn’t trade any of my brothers for anything different…I think. 

My dad came from a family of 11. He grew up with seven brothers and a sister. Eventually, all of his siblings got married and had kids and if every family has three to four kids, the number can add up fast. I have a total of 22 cousins, just on my dad’s side. Family events can get excessively crowded in a short period of time. If you take all 44 family members and put them in one room, there isn’t much moving space, but it only makes it more exciting. Young and old, there is always something happening. Whether the boys are putting holes in walls, or girls playing a prank on the younger cousins, everyone has something to do. 

My mom came from a slightly smaller family of 8. She grew up with four brothers and a sister. I have 12 cousins, but 3 of them are married and 2 of them have kids, which makes a total of 19. The house isn’t as full as my dad’s side of the family, but 32 family members is a lot. Maybe even more than some other people’s full families. Even though most of my cousins are much older, or much younger, I wouldn’t want anything different because they have all molded me into the person I am today.

Family gatherings are one of my favorite parts of having a big family. Every summer my family goes on one big camping trip. We all take our campers to Yankton, South Dakota, and go boating and fishing. My favorite part is biking or squeezing into one vehicle and going to the Dairy Dock. My favorite is a large vanilla cone dipped in a blue raspberry cone dip. 

This past summer, my uncle Josh invited us to a cabin in South Dakota where we went ATV riding through the hills, tubing on the river, and lounging on the beach. With all of my cousins, we know how to have a great time. The adults and younger kids stay in the main cabin, while the older cousins stay in the bunkhouse. A break from the adults is always a nice touch. Whatever you could be doing, you always have somebody to do it with, even if you don’t want them tagging along.

Christmas is my favorite holiday with my family. My grandma gives us each 100 dollars to spend on a Christmas present each year, and it is fun to see what everybody gets themselves. Another tradition in my family is a gift exchange. We each pick a cousin at random and buy them a gift based on what we think they would like. I’m not going to lie, it is hard to find a gift for a cousin that is not my age that I don’t hang out with often, so if one of my brothers gets somebody that I would rather get a present for, I switch names with them. In addition to presents, you always have to be mindful of when the candy board is laid out, because if you aren’t fast enough, you may not get your favorite Christmas treat off of grandma’s candy board. 

There are so many amazing people that I get to call my family, and I don’t know what I would do without them. They have shaped me into the person I am today, and they make me an overall better person just from being around them. Even though I don’t get to see my cousins every day, I still have an amazing bond with all the people in my family. I mean, who doesn’t want a family bigger than the total kids in their high school?

Oftentimes, the extracurricular activities in a school get overshadowed by the academic success of the school. However extracurricular activities build character and make students drive for competition. Participating in extracurricular activities can enhance personal growth, develop life skills, and help students make a connection with not only their school, but also the community as a whole. 

First, extracurricular activities give students a chance to explore their interests and live their dreams. There has been a time in almost every little kid's life where they dreamed about throwing the game-winning touchdown pass or even scoring a buzzer beater in the championship basketball game. Having an extracurricular in which you could do that should be important. 

Participating in extracurricular activities also helps students cultivate important life skills. The ability to work with others for a common goal will come into play for the rest of your life whether it be on a farm, in a factory, or even in an office. Moreover, the time management skills you get from summer weights or two-a-days developed by the activities will be applied for the rest of your life. If dealing with a deadline, you need to know how to manage your time, or even just show up on time for work.  

Studies by the National Center for Education Statistics have shown that students who are more involved in extracurricular activities are more likely to show up to school every day. This is because extracurricular activities hold the students accountable to show up so they can participate in the sport or event they compete in. This also goes for your grade and test scores with students not wanting to be put on academic probation for their activities.

Even being a member of FFA, FCCLA, or FBLA can give your resume a boost and open so many opportunities for your future. 

The connection with the community is built throughout these activities especially in the sport category. The student has a chance to become a name known by many throughout the community.  With passionate community members coming and supporting these students, they are able to perform better within their activities. 

In conclusion, there are many benefits to extracurricular activities because they provide a platform for students to push themselves. Some students view them as additions to their schedule, however we should view them as an essential component of education that can help make a well-rounded individual. 

On August 31, 2006, Carter Nathan Brabec was born to April and Andy Brabec. 

In addition to Carter's parents, he has two siblings, Dylan (20) and Sadie (14).  He is the grandson of Charmayne and the late Gary Brabec of Leigh and Lucy Nathan and the late Larry Nathan of Norfolk. He also has two dogs, Boomer and Bullet. 

Carter has participated in many different activities during his high school career, including FFA for 4 years, One-Act for 3 years, and basketball for 2 years. Outside of school activities, Carter participates in Leigh Youth Advisory Committee and Pioneer 4-H Club.  

Three words that describe Carter are dedicated, funny, and honest. His great personality and hard work have also awarded him the honor of “Student of the Month.” He says his greatest high school accomplishments are being a state Star Finalist in Ag Placement for FFA and playing a great girl in this year’s One-Act play. 

The people Carter admires the most are his parents because they are always there for him and push him to do better for himself.

Carter has many high school memories, but he says his favorite is going to Olive Garden and going to the To Kill a Mockingbird play in Omaha with his class when he was a sophomore. On the flip side, he says his most embarrassing moment was coming to a new school in 7^th grade not knowing many kids. 

Three of Carter’s goals on his bucket list consist of buying a nice semi, going to Alaska, and going on an airplane. 

Carter has tons of favorite things, like his favorite movie, Happy Gilmore. His favorite song is “I’m Done” by Koe Wetzel. His favorite sports team is the Kansas City Chiefs, his favorite restaurant is Texas Roadhouse, and his favorite subject in school is any ag or shop class. 

Outside of school, you can see Carter riding four-wheelers, hanging out with friends, or working at Scheer Farms in Madison. 

If Carter won the lottery, he would use the money to buy farm ground and build himself a nice shed and house. 

If Carter could travel anywhere in the world, he would go to Bora Bora so he can swim and just hang out. 

When asked what his biggest pet peeves are, Carter said when people are singing to the radio when he’s driving. 

After high school, Carter plans to go to Northeast Community College with a major in Diversified Agriculture, and he is planning to work on the family farm and get his CDL. In 10-15 years, he sees himself working on the family farm and driving trucks. 

Before he graduates, Carter’s advice to underclassmen is that “School can be great if you wander the halls and find people to talk to.”

Each spring, more than 7,000 FFA members, advisors, and guests attend the Nebraska State FFA Convention. This year at the 97th Annual Nebraska FFA Convention in Lincoln, almost all Leigh FFA members competed at the state level finding tremendous success and growth! 

Members who attended state convention competed in Leadership Development Events, Career Development Events, and went on educational tours, to leadership workshops, the Career Fair and Expo, and attended speeches and sessions.

At general sessions, FFA members all around the state had the opportunity to listen to keynote speakers and retiring addresses from the Nebraska State Officers. Leigh was recognized at a session for participating in Connecting Chapters. The award was received due to the learning program the chapter has set up with Little Sprouts. 

Many Leigh FFA members advanced to finals of their events, earning high honors!

Senior Kammy Held was State Champion in Goat Production Proficiency!  Sophomore Carmen Malena was State Runner Up in Ag Sales Entrepreneurship Proficiency! Senior Carter Brabec was a Star Finalist in Ag Placement!

Brianne Kuhr earned Third Place overall in Extemporaneous Speaking. Hannah Martensen finished Sixth overall in Junior Public Speaking, and the Farm and Agribusiness Management Team of Brianne Kuhr, Brayden Loseke, Luke Eisenmann, and Kyle McMullin finished 5^th overall!

Additionally, Brianne Kuhr, Carter Brabec, Jared Olson, Kammy Held, and Paige Kurgeweit were all recipients of their State Degrees, which is the highest award applicable in the entire state. 

In the chapter’s down time, team bonding took place on Thursday afternoon at Sunlane Valley in Lincoln. During this time members participated in bowling and laser tag. Throughout the entire convention, Paige Kurpgeweit participated in the state chorus that sang at every session.

Sophomore Daphne Jedlicka said, “State FFA was someone that we all looked up to this whole year. With competing in so many events, our chapter did their best. We also had so much fun hanging out with each other not only during our chapter bonding time, but throughout the whole three days. Many memories were made, and a lot was learned. We cannot wait for next year!”

Advisor Mrs. Alyssa Went said, “Wow! What an amazing state convention for our chapter! One like we've never seen before! Having students make finals round to scoring perfect scores on interviews to securing a state champion plaque is something special! These students put in countless hours and I am beyond proud of all of their efforts!”

Full Results:

State Degree Recipients:

Brianne Kuhr, Carter Brabec, Jared Olson, Kammy Held, Paige Kurpgeweit

Goat Production Proficiency: State Champion

Kammy Held

Agricultural Demonstration: Silver

Brianne Kuhr, Carter Brabec, Jared Olson, Kammy Held

Ag Sales Entrepreneurship Proficiency: State Runner Up

Carmen Malena

Ag Placement: Star Finalist

Carter Brabec

Extemporaneous Speaking: 3rd Gold

Brianne Kuhr

Junior Public Speaking: 6th Gold

Hannah Martensen

Farm and Agribusiness Management Team: 5th

Brianne Kuhr, Brayden Loseke, Luke Eisenmann, Kyle McMullin

Natural Resources Speaking: Silver 

Luke Eisenmann 

Senior Public Speaking: Bronze

Paige Kurpgeweit

Cooperative Speaking: Bronze

Rebecca Hastreiter 

Junior Livestock Judging Team: 6^th

Blake Loseke (blue), Carmen Malena (blue), Daphne Jedlicka (blue), Hannah Martensen (red)

Senior Livestock Judging Team: 11^th

Kammy Held (purple), Carter Brabec (blue), Luke Eisenmann (blue), Kyle McMullin

Poultry Evaluation: 16^th

Reese Wietfeld (white), Kaylee Brabec (white), Reese Bruhn, Grace Hansen

Agronomy: 50^th

Brianne Kuhr, Carter Brabec, Cody Jedlicka, Daphne Jedlicka

Agriscience: 62^nd

Sadie Brabec (red), Cade Hoesly (white), Tyce Larson, Easton Brabec

People in Ag Posters: Gold

Layton Held, Avery Kuester, Ella Hansen, & Ryan McMullin received Golds

People in Ag Posters: Silver

Cruz Malena, Bergan Settje, and Lexi Bruhn received Silvers

State Chorus:

Paige Kurpgeweit 

Delegate Representatives:

Ava Kasik and Nevaeh Zulkoski