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For the past 15 years, Ashley Borer has taught science, but that’s not all she’s done.

Currently teaching biology, anatomy, and practical science at Sandy Creek, Borer is now in her sixth year with the NCAPS program, which gives students more opportunities to explore and learn about possible future careers after school.

She has also taught seventh grade life science and a dual credit Introduction to Education course.

“I love all of the different roles I have had the opportunity to pursue during my time as an educator.”

Borer was chosen as Sandy Creek’s Staff Member of the Month, and noted she was honored to be selected.

As stated in a nomination letter, “she goes above and beyond daily to make sure that Sandy Creek students get every opportunity available to them!”

Borer became a teacher to help young people see their full potential, as well as foster a love for science.

Ralph Southern was recently named the 2023 Mentor of the Year by the TeamMates Mentoring Program.

Southern has been a mentor to Brandon Martin, a junior at Sandy Creek, since 2014.

Within a few weeks of meeting, Martin’s teacher at the time said she noticed a positive impact in him.

Over the years, the two have developed a special relationship and consider each other family.

Southern has always been supportive of Martin, according to SC TeamMates Chapter Coordinator Brenda Searle, encouraging and supporting him over the years.

The same can be said about Martin, as last year, when Southern went through a serious illness, Martin often visited him in the hospital, letting him know he cared.

“They have provided encouragement and support for each other,” Searle added. “They have a special bond and they will be lifelong friends.”

The implementation of eSports at Sandy Creek all started with a drive by two students—Robert Witmer and Brooke Dittmer.

ESports is a school league developed by educators devoted to playing some of the most popular video games on the market.

It allows the opportunity for students who can’t or don’t want to play in physical sports an avenue to develop sportsmanship, teamwork, and strategies.

The Nebraska Schools eSports Association (NSESA), hosts the leagues much like NSAA does for physical sports and other activities.

NSESA states, “ESports takes a massive amount of communication and coordination among athletes. It allows for a deeper level of interaction and trains efficient communication. These skills honed in-game readies students for life.”

For Witmer and Dittmer, playing video games has been an activity they’ve enjoyed and have a passion for, and thought it would be cool for SC to have an eSports team.

Behind a great teacher are often other great teachers, mentors, and supporters, and for Sutton’s Nancy Schlautman, the same can be said.

“I had an awesome Family and Consumer Science teacher in high school and loved my FCS classes. I also grew up in a wonderful family with strong morals and values, and learned a lot about the importance of strong families,” she said. “My mother was a teacher and 4-H leader and had a great influence on my decision to become a FCS teacher. I love working with kids and seeing their faces light up when they learn a new skill.”

Schlautman was recently nominated and named Sutton Public School’s February Staff Member of the Month.

Many proposals with potential to impact Clay County have had their first hearings during the week of Jan. 23-27, with proponents and opposition weighing in during committee meetings.

It’s too early in the lawmaking process to accurately gauge which measures will advance to floor debate by the full Legislature, but some bills are gaining more attention— some positive, such as the addition of legislator cosponsors, and others negative with repeated attempts to kill legislation at the get-go.

The legislative process works best when everyday Nebraskans add their voices to the mix. There is an easy online process to submit comments: Go to https:// nebraskalegislature.gov/ bills/ and search for the bill of interest by number in the top right hand corner of the webpage, which will bring up the specific bill’s informational page; click on the “Submit Comments Online” button positioned under the bill’s history.

Jason Majors, a lifetime resident of Sutton has set the bar high in his profession, as Majors was recently honored by the Nebraska Agri-Business Association (NABA) as “Applicator of the Year” for 2022.

In the announcement by the NABA, “Excellent service to our customers is the heart of our business and we all know the value of a great applicator. The applicator of the year was established to recognize a commercial applicator providing outstanding service, good stewardship in their community, and exceptional leadership through mentoring or training.”

Clay County is receiving $22,032 from the State of Nebraska for youth diversion services this year, to be administered through the Adams County Diversion Services program.

Program director Katie Kulhanek presented the Clay County Board of Supervisors with a memorandum of understanding interlocal agreement at the board’s regular meeting on Jan. 24 at the courthouse in Clay Center.

“This is something your county has participated in for a little over a decade,” she said.

The agreement does not require any outlay of county funding, only authorizing Adams County Diversion Services to coordinate Clay County’s State funding for use with Clay County youth in need of diversion services. By cooperating with the Adams County program, which has three staff members, Clay County saves money by not needing to hire its own youth diversion services staff.

With the abundance of options, cultural backgrounds, flavors, and techniques, it’s easy to see why someone would be interested in a career based around cooking.

Juan Castaneda’s passion for food began early, growing up and watching people enjoy the food his mother prepared, and then becoming a fan of Chef Aarón Sánchez, who he’s followed since seventh grade.

His passion and drive has led him to a full scholarship at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York, from the Aarón Sánchez Scholarship Fund.

Castaneda, who graduated from Sutton in May 2022 and has since been studying culinary arts at Central Community College, will study at the NY-based school for eight months to gain more culinary experience.

“It [cooking] has also been my drive to be better than to be better than the person I was yesterday. I won’t stop until I become the best version of myself,” he said.

School boards and school administrators and staff across the State of Nebraska, and nationally are constantly facing transportation issues with their bus-driving fleets. Getting students to and from school, and even to events has been a constant hassle for each and every district, whether it’s in a metropolitan area or a small town school district.

At Sutton Public Schools, superintendent Dana Wiseman and her staff, as well as members of the Sutton School Board are addressing these shortages, but options could come at a sweltering cost.

“We’re working with a consultant out of Hastings right now, and this shortage of bus drivers alone, and our pickup and drop off of students could come at a healthy cost to our school district,” Wiseman shared.

The South Central Unified District Board approved hiring Stephen Grizzle for interim superintendent for the 2023-24 school year.

Grizzle is currently the superintendent at Fairbury Public School, and was one of three candidates interviewed for the position.

“All three were really strong candidates,” SCUD Board member Brian Shaw said. “All three interviews were really good, and what a great problem to have to need to choose between three strong candidates.”

Shaw and board co-president Donita Furman said they hired Grizzle for many reasons, including his years of experience as a superintendent; his strong financial background and comfort with budgeting and numbers; and the amount of knowledge he has on the district.

Grizzle will take over as superintendent during a time of big change within SCUD, as next year Sandy Creek/ Lawrence-Nelson will separate and dissolve the South Central District.