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Brett and Kim Loseke welcomed their first child, Brayden Daniel Loseke on March 11, 2008, in Norfolk, Nebraska. Brayden is the older brother to Grayson Loseke, 14, and Sophie Loseke, 11. Brayden is the grandson of Rick and Judy Loseke of Leigh and Marv and the late Janet Janssen of Creston. 

Brayden also has one dog named Dusty, who is a Yorkie-Maltese mix (Morkie). 

Throughout high school, Brayden has participated in many events: Stream Team, 5 years; FBLA, 4 years; One Act, 4 years; Speech, 4 years; Quiz Bowl, 4 years; Journalism, 4 years; Band, 3 years; National Honors Society, 2 years; FFA, 2 years; Track, 1 year; and JAG for 1 year. 

Outside of school, Brayden has participated in YAC for 4 years and St. John’s Youth Group also for 4 years. 

Brayden is a really smart guy and has earned many honors throughout his school career, including 1st place State JAG Financial Literacy, 2026; 1st Place State FFA Farm and Agribusiness Management, 2026; 5th Place State FFA Farm and Agribusiness Management, 2025; 1st place State FBLA Cybersecurity, 2025; 2nd place State FBLA Management Information Systems, 2023 and 2024; 3 time National FBLA Qualifier/Competitor; 24-25 Student of the Year; 4 time Student of the Month; A Honor Roll, and 1st Place in American Government and 2nd in Physics at the Northeast Community College Academic Day 2026. 

Brayden’s biggest high school accomplishment was making the National FBLA in Atlanta his freshman year. He didn’t think he would do very well, and then was surprised to find out he qualified. He thought it was a great learning experience and he had a lot of fun. He even made the top 15 in the nation that year!

When he isn’t in school, you might find Brayden giving you a friendly greeting while working at Steve’s Madhouse Market in downtown Leigh. 

Brayden’s future plans consist of studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Nebraska Lincoln.  

If Brayden ever wins the lottery, you can find him donating it to YAC or Leigh Legacy Fund and then saving the rest for college.

If he could travel anywhere, he would visit Cape Canaveral to see cool museums and NASA rocket launches. Three things on his bucket list are learning how to fly a plane, go skydiving, and visit all the national parks.  

Three words to describe him are smart, adaptable, and easygoing. His biggest bad habit he has is procrastination.

Brayden says he admires his parents the most in his life. They are both incredibly smart and compassionate, and he would not be the person he is today without them. 

Brayden's favorite hobbies include building model kits, playing video games, and reading books. His favorite subject in school is history or science. His favorite movie is Interstellar; sports team, New England Patriots; and restaurant, Culvers. His favorite songs are "Ain't Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” by Van Halen or “Money For Nothing” by Dire Straits. He can’t decide on his favorite airplane because he “really likes the B-36 Peacemaker, but the SR-71 Blackbird is a marvel of engineering.”

 In 10-15 years, you can find Brayden settled down somewhere in Nebraska with a wife and 1 or maybe 2 kids, with an engineering-related job. 

Brayden says that his most embarrassing moment in high school was not knowing how to make grilled cheese in FCS class. His favorite high school memory is attending National FBLA in Orlando Sophomore year.

Before he graduates, Brayden leaves this advice to underclassmen: “Take challenging classes and spend time with your classmates. Don’t stress too much about homework.”

On November 8th, 2005, in Marysville, Kansas, Daniel Whitlinger and Anna Nicholson were blessed with their first child, Jordan Whitlinger. 

Jordan has one sister, Ryleigh, 18, and one brother, Jackson, 16. His life wouldn’t be complete without Rocky, his dog. 

Jordan is new to the senior class this year, and he has been a great addition! 

Jordan says one of his proudest accomplishments of high school would have to be winning a tournament for E-sports at Beatrice, where he previously went to school. 

In the near future, he plans to start working as an apprentice for an electrician. Also in the future, he hopes to travel to either Canada or Germany for a change of pace and scenery. He even hopes to someday become an electrician in Canada. In the meantime, Jordan is currently trying to find a part-time job, so if anyone needs help, hit him up!

Something everyone hopes and prays that happens to them in the future is winning the lottery! If Jordan won, he said he would first start investing it into stocks and later start his own electrical company.

Jordan's biggest pet peeve is when people yell while talking to someone. In his life he created three goals he hopes to achieve: become an electrician, move to Canada, and retire happily. 

Someone he admires in his life would have to be his mother. When asked why, he replied, “My mother has gotten back up every time she got knocked down.” 

Being a newly added member to the class of 2026, he hasn't had much time to make memories, but he said his favorite part has been making new friends at Leigh and having fun. His favorite hobbies outside of school are playing video games and watching videos. 

Jordan's favorite school subject in school is science; his favorite TV show is Tokyo Ghoul; His favorite song is “Drunken Sailor”; favorite sports team is the Nebraska Cornhuskers; favorite food is BBQ, and lastly, his favorite thing is being the oldest in the class. His not-so-favorite thing, more like his most embarrassing moment, has to be when he tripped in front of everyone at school. 

The last little piece of advice Jordan wants to leave the underclassman with is “It’s too early to quit.” We wish Jordan the best of luck in his future!

On April 8th, 2026, Leigh High School hosted the annual East Husker Conference quiz bowl competition.
Members of the Leigh team included seniors Brayden Loeske and Elizabeth Hoffman, junior Carmen Malena, and sophomores Trevor Hoffman, Aidan Ellsworth, and Kaycee Lange. Loseke was the team captain. 

The Leigh quiz bowl team did very well, finishing 3rd out of 16 schools!

Leigh faced tough competition in pool play and struggled to find a flow, losing to Oakland-Craig and Wakefield and defeating Howells-Dodge, placing them as the 8th seed entering the tournament.

After winning their first match in the single-elimination tournament, Leigh went on to knock off number 1 seed Pender! Then in their next match against Wisner-Pilger, they ended the round tied and lost on a sudden death question. This placed Wisner-Pilger against Wakefield in the finals and Leigh battling for third.  

In the consolation match-up, Leigh had a rematch against Oakland-Craig, who had beaten them in pool play. This time, Leigh got the best of them, winning the match and the third-place plaque! 

  Brayden Loeske said, “Quiz bowl was a lot of fun. Our pool play results were mixed, but we did great once it got to the tournament and ended up placing 3rd out of 16 teams, which is pretty good.”

Quiz Bowl Sponsor Mrs. Maddie Gall said, “Hosting the EHC Quiz Bowl Tournament this year was an exciting opportunity for the Leigh staff and school, and I am so proud of our students for showing up dressed to impress, competing with confidence, and earning a strong 3rd place finish out of 16 teams!”

Luke Eisenmann Elected as 2026-2027 State FFA Secretary!

This spring, more than 8,000 FFA members, advisors, and guests attended the 98th Annual Nebraska State FFA Convention in Lincoln. Competitive events began on Wednesday, March 25th, and concluded on Friday, March 27th. Over the course of the week, members competed, attended workshops, and general sessions.

From previous success in district competitions, Leigh had qualified nearly the entire chapter to compete in Leadership and Career Development Events! Members also partook in proficiency interviews and were recognized for receiving their state degrees. 

Senior Luke Eisenmann also represented the chapter by completing state officer interviews, advancing onto the final rounds!

​ This year, Leigh achieved remarkable success and recognition at the state level! The Farm and Agribusiness Management team of Luke Eisenman, Kyle McMullin, Brayden Loseke, and Carmen Malena finished as state champions, qualifying for Nationals in October. Additionally, Luke Eisenmann placed 2nd overall in the event.

​ Sophomores Tyce Larson, Easton Brabec, and Cash Fehringer advanced to finals in their Agriculture Demonstration. In the end, they finished as State Runner-Up, placing 2nd! The team's demonstration consisted of showing the process of milking a cow, pasteurizing its milk, and making ice cream.

​ Junior Carmen Malena was interviewed in her Ag Sales Entrepreneurship Proficiency, receiving State Runner-Up. Karly Wendt also received State Runner-Up in her Swine Production Placement Proficiency. In the area of Livestock Evaluation, Briggs Klug, Luke Eisenmann, Carmen Malena, and Daphne Jedlicka placed 3rd overall as a team, with Briggs Klug placing 2nd and Luke Eisenmann placing 10th.

​ During the second general session, Leigh was recognized in the Connecting Chapters Program for dedicating service in educating elementary students on agricultural topics. Leigh received the award due to the Little Sprouts program established with all elementary classes.

​ Among 948 FFA members, Luke Eisenmann, Kyle McMullin, Ava Kasik, Neveah Zulkaski, Karly Wendt, and Sydney Messerlie all received the highest and most prestigious degree applicable in Nebraska. All seniors received their state degrees and were recognized on stage for their accomplishments.​

Additionally, Sydney Messerlie participated in the State FFA Honor Chorus. Sydney spent the week attending choir practice and singing during each general session.

In the final general session, FFA members had the opportunity to listen to keynote speaker Clair Woeppel, the National FFA Central Region Vice President. Clair shared an empowering message about waiting in all seasons of your life.

​ Ending the convention on an extremely high note, Luke Eisenmann was elected as the new State Secretary during the final session! Alongside six individuals, Luke will be serving Nebraska FFA throughout the 2026-27 year. He and the newly elected officer team will travel the state, connect with chapters, and share their agriculture and leadership experiences.  

“State FFA is something we look forward to all year long. We competed in a lot of different events and had great success as a chapter. We also made great memories together” said senior Brayden Loseke. 

Senior Luke Eisenmann said, “We had another great year at State Convention with many groups and individuals placing very highly in their competitions. In my last high school state convention, I had a great time being with friends. After the long week, it was great to see the hard work of all our members pay off. Being announced as State Secretary is an incredible honor and exciting way to end convention. I am grateful for the support everyone has shown for me including the posters that were made, and I hope to have another great year serving Nebraska FFA.”

We are extremely proud of all the accomplishments honored at the state convention and with the chapter, and Luke, the best success! 

State Degree Recipients:

Luke Eisenmann, Kyle McMullin, Ava Kasik, Neveah Zulkaski, Karly Wendt, Sydney Messerlie

Farm and Agribusiness Management: State Champions (National Qualifier) 

Luke Eisenmann - Purple (2nd) 

Kyle McMullin - Blue (50th)

Brayden Loseke - Blue (57th)

Carmen Malena - Red (64th) 

Ag Demo: State Runner-Up (2nd)

Tyce Larson

Easton Brabec

Cash Fehringer

Proficiency: Ag Sales Entrepreneurship  

Carmen Malena - State Runner-Up (2nd)

Proficiency: Swine Production Placement

Karly Wendt - State Runner-Up (2nd) 

Senior Livestock Evaluation: 3rd

Briggs Klup - Purple (2nd)

Luke Eisenmann - Purple (10th)

Carmen Malena - Blue (27th)

Daphne Jedlicka 

Floriculture: 22nd (Red)

Hannah Martensen - Blue (52nd)

Rebecca Hastreiter - Red (80th)

Reann Bruhn

Grace Hansen 

Parliamentary Procedure: Silver

Carmen Malena, Kaylee Brabec, Reese Bruhn, Reese Wietfeld, Luke Eisenmann, Kyle McMullin

Agronomy: 33rd 

Cody Jedlicka - White  

Reese Bruhn 

Daphne Jedlicka

Sadie Brabec

Livestock Management:

Wyatt Eisenmann, Cash Fehringer, Briggs Klug, Avery Kuester, Tyce Larson, Blake Loseke

Poultry Evaluation:

Kaylee Brabec, Reese Wietfeld, James Moore, Ben Rodenburg

People in Ag Posters:

Bergan Settje - Gold 

Cooper Fehringer - Gold

Ella Hansen - Gold

Harper Wendt - Silver 

Ryan McMullin - Silver

Jr. High Quiz Bowl:

Team 1 - Cruz Malena, Blair Wietfeld, Korbin Hake, Grayson Loseke

Team 2 - Grant Zabka, Cooper Fehringer, Bergan Settjie, Ryan McMullin

State Honor Choir:

Sydney Messerlie 

Nearly 1,200 youth members, chapter advisers, and guests from across the state gathered for the Nebraska Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America’s (FCCLA) State Leadership Conference held in Lincoln, Nebraska, March 29-31, 2026, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Over the three-day conference, students attended general sessions, participated in workshops on relevant youth issues, toured local organizations, networked with organizations and post-secondary institutions, competed in various competitive events, and much more! 26 members from the Leigh chapter attended this year’s conference!

Students started on their conference path on Sunday, March 29, with the Opening General Session led by the 2025-2026 State Officer Team. This session featured adult and adviser awards along with individual member recognition. This year, Mrs. Megan Hillen was the recipient of the Adviser Committed to Excellence Award.

Attendees had the opportunity to attend a variety of breakout sessions on Monday and Tuesday presented by FCCLA youth leaders and outside partners, including Kaiti Blackburn from Jana’s Campaign, Derek Feyerherm from the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, Meghan Christensen from Midland University, KB Mensah & Kris Whisenhunt from Visionary Youth, Dr. Vernetta Kosalka from UNL Hospitality, Tourism, & Restaurant Management, Dr. Kimberly Clawson & Wendy Baumeister, PsyD, LMHP from BHECN Southeast, Dr. Dawn Lindsley, UNL Child, Youth and Family Studies & Dr. Carol Erwin, Wayne State College, and Abby Miller from The Leadership Center. The Opportunity Fair featured various colleges, organizations, and businesses for members to connect with.

The conference continued with the Recognition General Session on Monday evening, where attendees heard from Dr. Brian Maher, Nebraska Commissioner of Education, and keynote speaker, Ketric Newell. Newell challenged FCCLA members to examine the limiting beliefs and messages that influence their confidence, choices, and leadership potential. Through an encouraging and reflective message, he emphasized the power of selfawareness, truth, and personal responsibility in shaping one’s future. 

Chapter awards were presented during the Recognition Session on Monday evening where recipients were recognized on-stage for their accomplishments. This year, the Leigh Chapter received recognition as a Gold Chapter and received the Red and White Affiliation Award.

On Tuesday morning, FCCLA members showcased their projects and initiatives from the past year through the Spotlight on Projects event. More than 30 displays from chapters across the state were available for members to review. Ava Kasik, Karly Wendt, and Nevaeh Zulkoski shared their project NourishED. For Spotlight on Projects, participants highlight their work in categories like Community Service, Career Connection, and National Programs, setting up displays to share results with evaluators and peers.

This year, more than 700 students participated in STAR events at the State Leadership Conference. STAR Events (Students Taking Action with Recognition) recognize members for proficiency and achievement in individual and chapter projects, leadership skills, and career preparation in over 30 national events. Students who were named the State Champion or Runner-Up and earned a Gold or Silver medal also qualified to compete in the national competition in Washington, D.C. this July!

For the Leigh Chapter, Sydney Messerlie, Ava Kasik, Karly Wendt, Nevaeh Zulkoski, Emersyn Urban, Vylet Hollatz, Lainey Urban, Eisley Urban, Khloe Kabes, and Emery Malena all qualified for nationals in their respective events! 

The conference wrapped up on Tuesday, March 31, with the Closing General Session. Additionally, the 2025-2026 State Officer Team reflected on their year of service to Nebraska FCCLA prior to the installation of the 2026-2027 State Officer Team. The 2026-2027 State Peer Officer Teams and overall SPOT council were also announced prior to the adjourning of the conference.

The best and brightest of Leigh High School put themselves to the test, literally, at the Northeast Community College Scholastic Day competition this past Wednesday, April 1. After last year’s cancellation, this day of arduous testing—and meal at the college’s dining hall—was a welcome celebration and ended rather victoriously, with the students of Leigh High School placing second overall in Class D!

There were four students who officially placed well in their own respective tests. Senior Luke Eisenmann took first place in Technical Math and, in a similar subject, stole second place for Trigonometry. Senior Elizabeth Hoffman snagged the silver in both English Composition and Vocabulary tests. Senior Brayden Loseke came home with first place in American Government and second place in Physics. Finally, Caleb Settje, a sophomore, placed third in Drafting. 

As for the other representatives of Leigh in each of their testing categories: Kaylee Brabec competed in Anatomy & Physiology, Vivian Bunner competed in Biology, Aidan Ellsworth competed in Welding, Madilyn Freudenburg competed in Medical Terminology, Mia Glissman-Mayner competed in Literature, Layton Held competed in Algebra I, Ella Higby competed in Parenting & Child Development, Cade Hoesly competed in Computer Literature, Vylet Hollatz competed in Public Speaking, Briggs Klug competed in Geometry, Kaycee Lange competed in Algebra II and Geography, Wyatt Langhorst competed in American History and Introduction to Psychology, Carmen Malena competed in Accounting I and Chemistry, Kyle McMullin competed in Basic Construction and Workplace Communication, Jurnee Mullenhoff competed in Agri-Science, Lainey Urban competed in Foods & Nutrition, Brett Wemhoff competed in Personal Finance, and Michael Wemhoff competed in World History. 

“I was proud to place so well in both my American Government and Physics tests,” stated senior Brayden Loseke. “As a team we did great and I'm glad to end my competition there on a high note.”

About his experience, sophomore Caleb Settje said, “The day itself was entertaining and I was very happy about getting 3rd place.”

After winning their first district runner-up title in over a decade, 6 members of the Leigh Speech Team traveled to Kearney High School to compete in the Class D1 State Speech competition on Saturday, March 28. 

Team members who qualified for state included seniors Luke Eisenmann, Braydon Loseke, Lexis Gleason, Jocelyn Donnelly, and Sydney Messerlie, as well as junior James Moore.

Luke Eisenmann had an outstanding performance, earning 2nd place in D1 Extemporaneous Speaking! He was the only Leigh competitor to place at state. 

Lexis Gleason and Jocelyn Donnelly competed in Duet Acting, finishing 8th and coming very close to earning a medal.

James Moore competed in Poetry and placed 10th overall.

Braydon Loseke competed in both Extemporaneous Speaking and Informative Speaking.

Sydney Messerlie competed in POI and Serious Prose.

Luke Eisenmann said, “It was great to have Leigh bring a strong group to Kearney for state speech this year. We had several people competing at state for the first time in a while, and many were very close to making finals. Fortunately, I drew some strong topics that allowed me to do well in Extemp. As a team, we put in a lot of work this season, and I'm incredibly proud of what this group was able to accomplish.”

Senior Lexis Gleason added, “We all had an amazing time at state speech! It was a great experience for the whole team. Luke came out with a second-place medal for Extemp, and we couldn't be prouder of him. Although we may not have achieved all the outcomes that we wanted, we all performed great. I can’t wait to support the team next year.”

The Patriot Golf team is off to a steady start this season, kicking off the season with back-to-back meets in West Point on March 30th and David City on March 31st. 

In the West Point meet, with a 5th place finish out of 8 at their David City Aquinas meet on March 30th. Senior Quentin Mullenhoff shot the low round for the Patriots with 92. Parker Sayers finished with 99, Cash Fehringer 105, Josh Eisenmann 109, and Layton Held 119. 

Sophomore Cash Fehringer said, “This was a very nice day to golf and we had a good time.”

They also competed at a meet in West Point on March 29th. Quintin Mullenhoff finished with 84, Sayers shot a 97, Fehringer finished 101, Eisenmann ended 107, and Held shot 112, 

Head Coach Mr. Connor Blum said, “Monday at Beemer we had a really nice day for some golf on a very difficult course. It was a good start to the season for us. Tuesday at David City our golfers improved their scores from Monday while battling some chilly weather in the morning and lots of wind throughout the day.”

The February “Students of the Month” were announced in March. The students that received this award included senior Brayden Loeske, senior Elizabeth Hoffman, and seventh grader Emery Malena.

Brayden is the son of Brett and Kim Loseke. His grandparents are Marv and the late Janet Janssen and Rick and Judy Loseke. 

Brayden participates in many extracurricular activities including Speech, One Act, Quiz Bowl, National Honor Society, FBLA, FFA, JAG, Youth Advisory Committee, Band, Stream Team, and Journalism. 

Brayden’s two favorite subjects are science and history. In Brayden’s extra time, he enjoys building model kits and reading. Brayden plans to major in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. This is Brayden’s fourth time winning this award.

When asked how he felt about winning this award he said, “I'm honored to win this award in my final year of high school.”

Brayden’s teachers said, “Brayden is just a phenomenal student. He recently won a state JAG contest by getting a 100% on a 50 question Financial Literacy Test that he completed in 8 minutes. Additionally, Brayden has a great personality, is kind to everyone, and is easy to talk to.”

Elizabeth Hoffman is the daughter of Ryan and Kelli Hoffman. Her grandparents are Roger and Karen Bruhn and Terry and Bonnie Hoffman. 

Elizabeth participates in many extracurricular activities including FCCLA, Basketball, Golf, One-Act, Journalism, Yearbook, NHS, Quiz Bowl, Speech, and Choir. 

Elizabeth’s favorite subjects in school are English and Journalism. In her free time she likes to consume music and media, paint, and finally read. Elizabeth plans to attend UNL for Marketing. This is also Elizabeth’s second time winning this award.

When asked how she felt about winning this award, she said, "I really appreciate the teachers that nominated and supported me all throughout my high school career. I am glad to be receiving my education from this school and all of the wonderful people in it.” #bethebest

  Elizabeth’s teachers said, “Liz is a very fun, gifted student who works hard in everything she does. She also has a unique, fun personality that can instantly cheer up anyone’s day.”

Emery is the daughter of Sean and Tiffany Malena of Leigh. Her grandparents are Richard and Tricia Mullenhoff and Mike and Joy Malena of Leigh. 

Emery participates in Dance, Volleyball, Basketball, Track, FCCLA, and FBLA. Her favorite subject is math. Some of her favorite hobbies are dancing, playing sports, and spending time with family and friends. Emery is only in seventh-grade, so she is not quite sure what she wants to be yet, but some of her options are a dance teacher or a nurse. This is her first time winning this award.

When asked how she felt about winning this award, she said, “I am very happy that I won this award and it feels good to be recognized!” 

Emery's teachers said, “Emery always has a smile on her face and works hard in everything she does. She also has a very positive attitude, and it is contagious to everyone around her.”