Our 3rd graders carried on a beautiful tradition today by making Easter butter lambs! 

This special Ukrainian custom has been part of Sacred Heart for the past 16 years, bringing faith, culture, and hands-on learning together in a meaningful way each Easter season. Traditionally, butter lambs symbolize Christ as the “Lamb of God” and are often part of Easter meals and celebrations in Ukrainian families.

A huge thank you to all of the extra helpers who made today possible—we couldn’t do it without you! And a very special thank you to Clint Sailors and Dollar Fresh for generously donating the butter for our lambs.

We are so grateful for the continued support of our amazing Falls City community!

Congratulations to Mrs. Cline’s 3rd Grade Class at Atchison Public Schools for being this week’s Phoenix Feather Winner!! 

This award recognizes classes that demonstrate outstanding behavior, teamwork, kindness, and a commitment to learning. Keep up the amazing work!

(Picture submitted)

Hailey Wurtz, a Nemaha County native who is dual enrolled in Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and College of Agriculture, has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Leslie Albert and Lola Fern Droge Scholarship for Agricultural Studies. The $750 scholarship, administered by the Nemaha County STEP Foundation, supports local students pursuing agricultural degrees at KState.

A 2022 graduate of Nemaha Central High School, Wurtz is the daughter of Jerin and Stephanie Wurtz. In her application she reflected on her lifelong connection to agriculture, sharing, “Growing up, I was the little girl with a pair of work jeans and messy hair whose favorite weekend activity was working calves with my dad. To this day, this hasn’t changed.”

Wurtz plans to return to rural Kansas after completing her education, serving underserved communities as a mixedanimal veterinarian. She views giving back to her community as both a responsibility and a calling.

The scholarship, established in 2008 by Lola Droge and her family, honors the legacy of Leslie and Lola Droge, long-time Nemaha County farmers and agricultural leaders. The couple was known for their progressive farming methods and community involvement, including Leslie’s service in the Kansas Senate and Lola’s active civic and political engagement.

Hailey Wurtz, a Nemaha County native who is dual enrolled in Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and College of Agriculture, has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Leslie Albert and Lola Fern Droge Scholarship for Agricultural Studies. The $750 scholarship, administered by the Nemaha County STEP Foundation, supports local students pursuing agricultural degrees at K-State.

A 2022 graduate of Nemaha Central High School, Wurtz is the daughter of Jerin and Stephanie Wurtz. In her application she reflected on her lifelong connection to agriculture, sharing, “Growing up, I was the little girl with a pair of work jeans and messy hair whose favorite weekend activity was working calves with my dad. To this day, this hasn’t changed.”

Wurtz plans to return to rural Kansas after completing her education, serving underserved communities as a mixed-animal veterinarian. She views giving back to her community as both a responsibility and a calling.

The scholarship, established in 2008 by Lola Droge and her family, honors the legacy of Leslie and Lola Droge, long-time Nemaha County farmers and agricultural leaders. The couple was known for their progressive farming methods and community involvement, including Leslie’s service in the Kansas Senate and Lola’s active civic and political engagement.

Horton FFA members Ellah Stirton, Ben Selland, Aiden Jamvold, and Colton Shirley traveled to Wamego for the Ag Mechanics CDE and District Officer Interviews!

Ag Mechanics participated in 7 different components including Welding, Small Engine Part ID, Small Engine Measurements, Baler Component ID, Reading a manual, Legal Land Descriptions and Irrigation, A Written Test, and a team event which comprised of calculating and planning the building of Concrete parking blocks!

Ellah interviewed in front of business reps and ag teachers for a position on the Northeast District FFA officer Team.

It was a great experience for all!

It’s safe to say Mr. Childs is thrilled with the latest addition to the classroom. Nothing beats having the right tool for the job—and a teacher who’s this excited to use it!

Great things are coming out of the shop this semester.

County Government Day

Doniphan West High School students recently participated in the annual County Government Day at the Doniphan County Courthouse. During this event, students met with several county officials, toured various offices, and learned about the important roles each department plays in serving our community.

Students also had the opportunity to take part in a hands-on mock trial. Brooklyn Denton served as the judge, while Kamryn McCauley and Belle Smith acted as defense attorneys, and Catherine Davis played the role of a witness.

After enjoying lunch provided by Troy Christian Church, students continued their day by meeting with representatives from the KBI, state troopers, and the local Sheriff’s Department. They explored patrol vehicles, participated in interactive activities—including the use of impairment goggles—and gained valuable insight into real-world topics such as drug awareness, human trafficking, and the many responsibilities of law enforcement across Kansas.

Thank you to everyone who helps make this meaningful event possible each year for the students in our district and county!

Congratulations to the cast of the Troy High/Middle School’s Seussical the Musical for successful shows on Friday and Saturday! Thank you to Brittany Clary, Audrianna Bruce, Holly Uplinger, and Bridget Sigrist for directing and guiding the students!

Cast:

JoJo-Charli Rush

Cat in the Hat-Kennadee Christopher

Horton the Elephant- Colton Sigrist

Mr. Mayor-Jaxton Fuemmeler

Mrs. Mayor-AnnaMaria Root

Gertrude McFuzz-Hayleigh Cluck

Mayzie LaBird-Zoie Uplinger

Sour Kangaroo-Hailey Sigrist

Bird Girl #1-AnnaMaria Root

Bird Girl #2-Kacee Thomas

Wickersham #1-Jaxton Fuemmeler

Wickersham #2-Lydia Kretzinger

Vlad Vladikoff-Tillie Keller

Who's/Jungle Citizens/Hunters-Tillie Keller and Eshan Thomas

Judge Yertle the Turtle-Kennadee Christopher

Shout out to Mr. Lemerond for inviting nurses Kim Schawang and Amanda Seeba to speak with his 9th-grade Health class about essential life-saving skills.

These amazing volunteers taught students how to perform compressions and use an AED. The class was engaged, attentive, and asked thoughtful questions throughout!

Jefferson West High School SADD brought ThinkFast Interactive to the high school on Thursday, February 19th. Thanks to a grant from KDOT/Kansas SAFE (Seatbelts Are For Everyone), ThinkFast visited Jefferson West to promote teen driver safety and cover Kansas' rules, regulations, and driving penalties, while providing current information on speeding, racing, and fatalities. It was fun, competitive, engaging, and reinforced a lot of information about being SAFE on the road.

SAFE Kansas

Falls City Public School First Graders recently enjoyed an exciting field trip to the Planetarium and Children’s Museum! This experience provided a wonderful opportunity for hands-on learning, exploration, and discovery.

A special thank you to P.I.E. for making this opportunity possible. We appreciate your continued support in providing enriching experiences for our students.

Riverside Jr/High School Art: Sunshine, sketchbooks, and creativity! Our 6th graders celebrated Youth Art Month by learning about famous artworks and then heading outside to draw and color. Proof that art can happen anywhere!

Another first place finish for Thunder Forensics!

20 of 29 events advanced to the finals w/ six new state champs qualifiers and eight new festival qualifiers!

Poetry – Fabrizzio Kramer 2nd

Duet acting – Liam Felder and Logan Uphaus 2nd, Harper Strathman and Taylor Bennett 4th, Hope Henry and Makenzie Steinlage 6th

Humorous solo – Taylor Bennett 4th, Liam Felder 6th

Improvised, duet acting – Luke Ganstrom and Liam Felder 4th

POI – Fabrizzio Kramer 1st, Taylor Bennett 3rd, Ayn Voracek 6th

Extemporaneous speaking – Fabrizzio Kramer 1st, Logan Uphaus 2nd, Kadence Buessing 3rd, Emma Tangeman 6th

Original oration – Hope Henry 1st, Harper Strathman 5th, Zoey Lockhart 6th

Informative speaking – Kadence Buessing 1st, Danica Wurtz 5th, Logan Uphaus 7th

Keep up the great work and GO THUNDER!!!

Falls City Library recently hosted a fun and unique mini golf event right inside the library!

Families and community members of all ages enjoyed a morning of FREE fun, turning the library into a creative mini golf course. It was a great opportunity to bring people together, share some laughs, and experience the library in a whole new way.

Thank you to everyone who came out and made the event such a success!

The 3rd grade teachers and students would like to express their sincere appreciation to the Royal Valley community and families for their generous donations and for supporting the Cardboard Arcade by playing their games!

They would also like to give a special thank you to the RVES staff for their flexibility and support in helping ensure the event ran smoothly. Your teamwork and encouragement helped make this experience a huge success for our students!

Jefferson County North's 3rd grade enjoyed their very first Read Across America in the gym. The 3rd - 5th grade classes always read all day in the gym in honor of Dr. Seuss. This was the first time that 3rd grade had an all day reading event.

Celebrating Holton Student Artists!

We’re proud to share that several Holton students have been selected to represent their schools in the Kansas Youth Art Month Exhibition this year.

Holton Elementary School

• Murphy Shupe, 4th Grade – Día de los Muertos Collage

Student of Addeea Luttrell

Holton Middle School

• Elsie Harris, 8th Grade – Mixed Media

Student of Nate Cunningham

Holton High School

• Chloe Schuster, 12th Grade – Mixed Media

Student of Katie Morris

The Kansas Youth Art Month Exhibition will be on display at the Topeka Shawnee County Public Library through March 28.

A Youth Art Month reception and celebration hosted by the Kansas Art Education Association will take place at the library on Saturday, March 28, from 11:00 AM–2:30 PM, with awards beginning at 1:00 PM.

Youth Art Month is celebrated each March to highlight the importance of art education and to recognize the creativity and talent of students across the country. Art programs help students develop creativity, critical thinking, and new ways of expressing their ideas and perspectives.

Congratulations to these talented students and thank you to the teachers who help nurture creativity in our schools!

Silver Lake JH Students of the Month for February

Congratulations to Blake, Haley, Charlie, and Emma on being recognized as Silver Lake Junior High Students of the Month! These students exemplify what it means to be a Golden Eagle through their hard work, leadership, and positive attitudes. Your dedication and character make a difference in our school community, and we are very proud of you!

(Pictured from left to right: Cooper Strube, Bobbi Becker and Emma Sampson.)

Horton, KAN., Feb. 24, 2026 — For the first time ever, Horton High School competed in the Kansas Scholastic Press Association Journalism Contest. In the regional contests, students competed in 27 different categories and 11 different classifications organized by geography and school size. Students who finished first through sixth place earned the chance to compete in the state contest.

Three Horton High students placed at regionals and qualified for state competition. Senior Cooper Strube won 3rd place in Feature Writing. Junior Bobbi Becker won 3rd place in Sports Action Photography. Freshman Emma Sampson won 5th place in Academic Photography and 6th place in Sports Feature Photography.

Journalism sponsor Julie Geiger said, “Anytime you try something for the first time, it’s challenging. These achievements took time, effort and courage. It’s an honor to work with such committed and talented students.”