The Nemaha County STEP Foundation is proud to announce the 2025 recipients of the
August Bergman, M.D., Scholarship. Dr. August Bergman has long been a dedicated
supporter of the local community foundation. His generosity has included the Elizabeth
Bergman Memorial Scholarship and the B&B Legacy (Challenge) Scholarship.
This year, three outstanding students have each been awarded a $1,000 August Bergman,
M.D., Scholarship:

Kylah Edelman, Sabetha High School Daughter of David and Sheri Edelman Plans to attend Kansas State University, majoring in Engineering

Morgan Allen, Centralia High School Daughter of Ryan and Jaime Allen Plans to attend Fort Hays State University, majoring in Nursing

Ava McKinley, Nemaha Central High School Daughter of Ben and Sharon McKinley
Plans to attend Fort Hays State University, majoring in Nursing

We are thrilled to announce that this year, Dr. August Bergman has generously decided to
expand the August Bergman, M.D., Scholarship program by adding three additional
scholarships for 2025! These three new scholarships, each valued at $1,000, are
specifically designated for students residing in the former B&B school district. This
initiative reflects Dr. Bergman’s continued commitment to supporting local students and
investing in the future of our community.

Anthony Lueger, Nemaha Central High School Son of Brad and Susan Lueger Plans to attend Pittsburg State University, majoring in Mechanical Engineering

William Lueger, Nemaha Central High School Son of Brad and Susan Lueger Plans to attend Benedictine, majoring in Chemical Engineering

Alayna Scism, Nemaha Central High School Daughter of Ben and Kelsey Scism Plans to attend Northwest Missouri State University, majoring in Early Childhood Special Education

Barbara K. Vitt has been a devoted educator and counselor, serving Nemaha County with
distinction for decades. Reflecting on her career, Vitt describes each of her teaching and
counseling roles as a “little piece of paradise.” She credits the experience to the respectful, hard-working students, supportive parents, and the dedicated colleagues, administrators, and school boards with whom she worked. Given the chance, she says she would gladly do it all again.

In recognition of her exemplary service and lifelong dedication to education, a generous
anonymous donor has made possible the annual awarding of three $1,500 Barbara K. Vitt
Scholarships to deserving students in Nemaha County.

The 2025 recipients of the Barbara K. Vitt Scholarship are:

Morgan Toedman, Sabetha High School Daughter of Tate and Sara Toedman Plans to attend the University of Kansas, majoring in Visual Communications (Graphic Design)

Alayna Scism, Nemaha Central High School Daughter of Benjamin and Kelsey Scism
Plans to attend Northwest Missouri State University, majoring in Early Childhood Special Education

Collin Jost, Nemaha Central High School Son of John and Tory Jost Plans to attend Fort Hays State University, majoring in Financial Planning 

These scholarships honor Vitt’s legacy by supporting students who embody the values she
championed throughout her career.

In 2005, Pat and Patty Schmelzle and family established the Kathy L. Schmelzle
Academic Scholarship through the Nemaha County STEP Foundation in loving memory
of their daughter Kathy. This $750 scholarship is awarded annually to a graduating senior
from Nemaha Central High School who plans to pursue a degree in teacher education.

The 2025 recipient is Alayna Scism, daughter of Benjamin and Kelsey Scism. Alayna
discovered her passion for working with children through a summer nanny position,
which inspired her to pursue a career in education. She plans to major in Early Childhood
Special Education at Northwest Missouri State University.

The Nemaha County STEP Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the Leroy
“Roy” Heiman Memorial Scholarship. Established in partnership with the Heiman
family, this scholarship honors Roy's legacy by supporting the educational goals of local
students living in the old B&B school district.

The 2025 Roy Heiman Memorial Scholarship recipients are:
Hallie Holthaus Daughter of Brian and Lisa Holthaus Plans to attend Northwest Missouri State University to pursue a career in the medical field

Collin Jost Son of John and Tory Jost Plans to attend Fort Hays State University, majoring in Financial Planning

William Lueger Son of Brad and Susie Lueger Plans to attend Kansas State University, majoring in Engineering

The Nemaha County STEP Foundation is honored to assist in awarding these
scholarships. STEP remains committed to helping caring citizens create meaningful
opportunities for others and leave a lasting legacy within the community.

No excuse now to wait to begin the next exhibit to go into place in the Onaga Museum Heritage Center. These two large display cases were moved from the Morton Building today with a lot of volunteer manpower. The exhibits to be placed in these two cases will welcome guests into the Onaga School Exhibit. If you are interested in helping put this exhibit together, please us with  your willingness to help.

HMS 7th grade Flight and Space students were happy to welcome Hiawatha alumni, Bailey Pierce! Bailey shared her knowledge on all things aviation as she works to get her degree in Aeronautical Science with a minor in Aviation Safety at K-State Salina! She taught the students about the history of flight, how planes actually fly and her path towards gaining her Pilot's License! Thank you, Bailey!

The Nemaha Central Elementary and Middle School KidWind team is coming home with the Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Award! The only team to receive a 10/10 on the Lawrence Liverpool Energy instant challenge! What an honor! What a bunch of smarty pants! They enjoyed getting to explore Phoenix and experience KidWind worlds.

The Hiawatha Public School Spanish students went to the Mexican restaurant, El Canelo, for their final. This is something they do every year. It was awesome to see more than fifty students attending the lunch. They were practicing their speaking skills from class in real life, ordering their meals in Spanish. They did an amazing job. I’m going to miss you all. Thank you! - Senior Xavier Caparros

Students from Highland Community College Technical Center (HCCTC) Business Professionals of America (BPA) chapter were among the nearly 7,000 attendees representing nearly 800 school chapters who attended the 2025 BPA National Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida, May 7-11.

While in Orlando, students vied for top honors in BPA’s Workplace Skill Assessment Program
competitions, which cover the areas of business administration, digital communication and
design, finance, health administration, information technology, management, marketing and
communication. Conference participants also attended leadership development workshops,
received awards for community service activities and elected BPA’s 2025–2026 national student leadership team.

The members from the HCCTC’s BPA chapter who attended the National Leadership
Conference were Highland Community College Technical Center’s instructor Carrie Miller,
students Kaydeece Fultz (Effingham), Adeline McManus (Effingham), Emma Rameriz
(Atchison), Aiden Rathert (Troy), Teagan Sharp (Powhattan), Dane Spillman (Atchison), Charles Tilton (Atchison) and Isaiah Woolston (Atchison). Fultz, Spillman, Tilton and Woolston participated in the Administrative Support Team and placed second. Fultz placed fourth in Fundamental Desktop Publishing and fifth in Fundamental Word Processing. McManus received first in Health Administration Procedures and second in Health Insurance Medical Billing. Rathert placed eighth in Contemporary Issues and seventh in Health Administration Procedures. Spillman received fourth in Fundamental Word Processing. Tilton placed eighth in Banking and Finance. Woolston placed second in Fundamental Word Processing, seventh in Entrepreneurship and seventh in Project Management. Rameriz and Sharp received an award for completing the six workshops for the BPA Leadership Passport, sponsored
by BPA.

Soon you will be able to stroll through the Onaga Museum Complex all the way to the Victory Schoolhouse without worry of stumbling on uneven ground. The new walkway, when completed will be ADA compliant for those with mobility challenges.

This spring, many of the Hiawatha Public School 8th graders explored businesses around Hiawatha to learn more about career opportunities in our area. We would like to thank the following businesses for taking time out of their day to share their careers with our students: Hiawatha Implement, The Shirt Shack, Ag Partners, Hiawatha Police Department, Brown County Sheriff's Office, and Amberwell Hospital.

Congratulations, Nemaha Central High School Class of 2029! We are very proud of you and know you will do well in the future!!!

The 2025 Team Schnak Diabetes I Walk raised $9500.00 during their May 10th event. They would like to thank everyone that attended and all those that helped us make this Walk so successful. This year's walk was dedicated to Father Arul, who helped make the walk so successful in past years.

Proceeds will go towards sending kids to the Diabetes Summer Camp this year. The date for next year's walk will be Saturday. May 2^nd 2026.

Hiawatha Public School third grade enjoyed their time at the middle school learning and experimenting with the 7th graders! They learned so much and appreciated all the fun and engaging lessons they prepared for them!

The halls are a little quieter at Axtell High School now. Congratulations to the Class of 2025 and good luck to you all.

The Centralia Community Church Scholarship Fund was established to support and encourage
the Christian community in Centralia, Kansas. Each year, the fund recognizes local students who
exemplify strong values and dedication to their faith and education.

The 2025 scholarship recipients, each receiving a $500 award, are: Morgan Allen, Centralia High School Daughter of Ryan and Jaime Allen Plans to attend Fort Hays State University, majoring in Nursing. Tatum Kramer, Centralia High School Daughter of James and Renee Kramer
Plans to attend Kansas State University, majoring in Accounting 

Congratulations to Morgan and Tatum on receiving this honor and best wishes as they continue
their academic and spiritual journeys.

Preschoolers enjoy a "ride" on the back platform of the Union Pacific Caboose last week at the Onaga Historical Museum. A fun time was had by all!

 

Nemaha Central High School School Nurse Appreciation Day! Thank you Nurse TeriLynne Haverkamp for all you do for our students, staff and families. You put our students' health and safety FIRST!

It's Teacher Appreciation Week at HHS. Monday teachers are enjoying flavored water, hand sanitizer and soap. Each teacher also gets to Spin the Wheel to win a prize.

Nemaha Central Elementary and Middle School Principal Dr. Amy Beck had another amazing Princi-pal helping her out last week with Stella helping her throughout the day! This is the last school year that Dr Beck will be principal of the school as she will retire at the end of the school year. Please be sure to thank her when you see her for her many years of service at the school district.

Sabetha High School Seniors helping out with City wide cleanup on Wednesday last week. A great way to give back to a community that has given so much!

2025—Maur Hill-Mount Academy is proud to welcome Jason Shanks, President of the National Eucharistic Congress, as our 2025 Commencement Speaker. Jason is a visionary leader and passionate advocate for young Catholics. "Jason's leadership with the Eucharistic Pilgrimages last summer changed the Catholic landscape in our country and impacted millions of lives, including those of our very own students here at Maur Hill-Mount Academy," said David Trotter, President of Maur Hill-Mount Academy. "His leadership and tireless witness are a powerful example of what our graduates strive to become." Jason has extensive leadership experience through his roles as Executive Director of OSV Institute, Catholic Charities, the Diocesan Evangelization Office, and a Consultant to the USCCB on Religious Liberty. Jason is not only a respected leader and speaker, he is also a devoted husband, father of five, and mentor who believes that today's youth have the power to shape a better future. Shanks will address the graduates during the school's upcoming Commencement Ceremonies to be held Sunday, May 18, 2025, celebrating the school's 42 graduates. "This year's graduates are some of the most impressive young people who have come through Maur Hill-Mount Academy," said President Trotter. "They will go on to be great leaders, visionaries, missionaries, and faithful servants, just like Jason Shanks, and impact lives on earth for eternity." Graduation will begin with Baccalaureate Mass at 9:00am celebrated at Mount St. Scholastica Chapel followed by the Commencement Ceremony at 11:00am held in the Maur Hill-Mount Academy Haverty Gymnasium.

Three New Funds Established at the Nemaha County STEP Foundation We are proud to announce the creation of three new charitable funds that will strengthen our commitment to empowering communities throughout Nemaha County: 1. Nemaha County Community Services Fund A new expendable fund that will support essential needs such as a diaper and formula bank, personal care items for all ages, cribs, car seats, and more. This fund furthers the mission of Nemaha County Community Health Services to care for residents across every stage of life. 2. NorthRidge Church (Seneca) Fund An endowed fund made possible by the generosity of an anonymous donor, this fund will support NorthRidge Church in its mission to reach and equip people for Christ without borders. 3. Best Life Community Services Fund (formerly NCTC) A new expendable fund supporting individuals with developmental disabilities. This fund enables services such as life and work skills training, job placement, and community living support—promoting independence, inclusion, and quality of life. These new funds are now part of the Nemaha County STEP Foundation and will be eligible to participate in Match Day on Friday, August 22, 2025—an incredible opportunity to multiply their impact through matched donations. A reminder that new funds must be established by June 1, 2025 to participate in Match Day. We are excited for the opportunities these funds bring to our communities, and we thank the donors and organizations for making it possible. Pictured Left to Right: Leon Haverkamp, STEP Secretary; Jill Mady, NCCHS Administrator; Amy Kuckleman, NCCHS Board Member; and Todd Helm, NCCHS Board Member