Attention: News, Education Editors

Attention: News, Education Editors

Contact: Amber Hunter, Assoc. Director, Admissions, (402) 472-0671,

UNL news website: http://newsroom.unl.edu

UNL recognizes Big Red Stars of 2010

Lincoln, Neb., May 17, 2010 -- The University of Nebraska-Lincoln will recognize Eastern Nebraska eighth-graders for their academic excellence May 24 at the 2010 Big Red Stars recognition ceremony.

Big Red Stars is a special recognition program designed to honor outstanding eighth-grade Nebraska students. These talented students were nominated by school principals as students who showcase strong leadership skills and academic promise.

The 2010 Big Red Stars nominees will be acknowledged at an award ceremony sponsored by UNL and EducationQuest May 24 at Qwest Center Omaha.

Highlights of the event include:

Ø  Individual recognition and awards for the 2010 Big Red Stars nominees;

Ø  Remarks from Gov. Dave Heineman;

Ø  A special guest appearance from UNL's own Lil' Red.

Following is a list by hometown of students honored as Big Red Stars. (The name of their school in included in parentheses if it differs from the town).

Albion: Tyler Hedlund (St. Michael's), Bridget Krings (St. Michael's).

Alda: Raul Rodriguez (Wood River Rural).

Alma: Hannah Hays.

Amherst: Cody Gugel.

Ansley: Tristen Reed, Maria Terrazas.

Arapahoe: Sydney Henry, Cheyanne Welch.

Arcadia: Cheyenne Cook, Zachary Lueck.

Arlington: Jacquelyn Dam (Fremont Bergan).

Ashland: Gunnar Garner (Ashland-Greenwood), Kelsey Gonzales (Ashland-Greenwood).

Ashton: Alexa Goc (Loup City).

Auburn: Patrice Groves, Chelsea Haynes.

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Aurora: Ethan Smith (Hampton).

Bartlett: Haley Larson (Wheeler Central), Andrea Pelster (Wheeler Central).

Battle Creek: Colton Welke.

Bellwood: Jerrod Eickmeier (David City Aquinas), Angellia Osantowski (David City).

Bennington: Simran Khanal, Lillian Lutter.

Berwyn: Julia Loy (Broken Bow).

Bladen: Tatiana Hohenfield (Blue Hill).

Blair: Richard Sweeney (Omaha Christian).

Bloomfield: Lillian Nagengast.

Blue Hill: Andrianna Meyer.

Boelus: Hannah Nietfeld (Centura).

Boys Town: Chang Dak (Wegner), Roger Lame (Wegner).

Brainard: Amber Karber (East Butler).

Bruning: Megan Bulin (Thayer Central), Samantha Sybrant (Bruning-Davenport).

Brunswick: Ashley Keetle (Neligh-Oakdale).

Burchard: Justice Moore (Lewiston).

Burr: Lauren Klaasmeyer (Johnson County Central).

Burwell: Elaina Eddy, Johanna Wagner.

Callaway: Kaden Ellis, Taylor Ellison.

Carroll: Jaci Jenkins (Wayne).

Clarkson: Erika Rupprecht.

Coleridge: Benjamin Barelman.

Columbus: Marielena Bravo (Scotus), Ethan Lesiak (Fullerton), Elisabeth Loseke (Lakeview), Hannah Maurer (St. John Lutheran), Jesus Munoz, Amy Price (Scotus), Candy Silva (Lakeview), Alyssa Theilen.

Comstock: Brian Wagnitz (Ord).

Creighton: Jacob Morrill, Dakotah York.

Crete: Truc Doan.

Crofton: Adrienne Keck, Hali Strom.

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Dannebrog: Braden Carroll (Centura).

David City: Wade Backstrom, Brittany Hilfiker (Aquinas).

Dawson: Jesse Anderson (Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer).

Daykin: Miranda Johnson (Meridian).

Deweese: Cara Felber (Sandy Creek).

DeWitt: Shelby Cammack (Tri County).

Dodge: Amanda Evert (Howells), Leah Grovijohn (St. Wenceslaus), Alexis Marsh, Casey Wisnieski.

Doniphan: Kassandra Cabrales (Doniphan-Trumbull), Riley Wiltfong (Doniphan-Trumbull).

Dwight: Taylor Zitek (East Butler).

Eddyville: Zach Jones (Broken Bow).

Edgar: Matthew Beck (Sandy Creek).

Elba: Chelsea Spilinek, Alexa Wysocki.

Elkhorn: Jacob Carlson, Tania Maldonado Garibay, Kevin Oran (Ridge).

Elwood: Mackenzi Anderson, Taylor Carlberg.

Emerson: Nick Conway (Emerson-Hubbard), Emily Trenhaile (Emerson-Hubbard).

Exeter: Erica Yound (Exeter-Milligan).

Fairbury: Bryce Taylor.

Falls City: Matthew Goltz (Sacred Heart), Ashli Jordan (Sacred Heart), Brooke Scheitel, Chase Thompson.

Fort Calhoun: Ben Everswick, Adam Robinson.

Franklin: Faith Aberle, Kenton Fritson.

Fremont: Sara Troupe (Trinity Lutheran East), JT Vecera (Trinity Lutheran East).

Friend: Claire Brejcha, Grace Niemeier.

Fullerton: Alyssa Hambleton.

Geneva: Audrey Malone (Fillmore Central).

Gibbon: Victoria Contreras, Ryan Neujahr.

Grand Island: Kerrigan Anspauch (Central Catholic), Kaitlyn Casares (Walnut), Abby Crouch (Walnut), Jesus Guillen (Westridge), Guillermo Ortiz (Central Catholic).

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Greeley: Kara Donovan (Greeley-Wolbach), Kaitlyn Wood (Greeley-Wolbach).

Gresham: Andrew Bader (Centennial).

Gretna: Allison Meyer, Elizabeth Schmidt.

Hallam: Charlene Skillett (Crete), Hannah Taylor (Norris).

Hastings: Diana Chavez, Suzette Escamilla (St. Cecilia), Meredith LaMaster (Adams Central), Brandt Mullen (Adams Central), Joseph Prickett.

Hebron: Sydney Goertzen (Thayer Central), Paige Husa (Fairbury), Jonah Vonderfecht (Deshler Lutheran).

Henderson: Allison Braun (Heartland).

Hildreth: Kaizelle Damit-og (Wilcox-Hildreth).

Holdrege: Jamie Isaacson, Tessa Perez.

Hooper: Austin Kremke (Logan View).

Hordville: Ashley Tyler (Westridge).

Howells: Lucas Hegemann, John Steffensmeier (Clarkson).

Humboldt: Anthony Knudson (Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer), Micah Spruth-Janssen (Johnson-Brock).

Humphrey: Ellie Geyer, Sabrina Rowley.

Juniata: Mary Wahlmeier (Hastings St. Cecilia).

Kearney: Tyson Antillon (Catholic), Thomas Connely (Catholic), Juan Sanchez (Horizon), Casey Weekley (Amherst).

Lawrence: Daniel Schroer (Lawrence-Nelson).

Liberty: Connor Barr (Lewiston).

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Lincoln: Callie Alvarez (Lux), Mauricio Arevalo (Lefler), Adib Ayubzai (Goodrich), Kaitlyn Baumgartner (St. Teresa), Kyly Baxter (Irving), Andrew Cain-Noonan (Culler), Joshua Case (Parkview Christian), Aidan Clarke (Blessed Sacrament), Jack Fiedler (Irving), Catherine Gries (North American Martyrs), Laura Haniszewski (Lutheran), Claire Henrichsen (St. Joseph's), Ray Hernandez (Pound), Seth Hincker (Lutheran), Jeshan Kanaganayagam (Christian), Bethany Keeshan (Goodrich), Mason Kuhl (Centennial), Steven Maatsch (Schoo), Mackenzie Marrow (Pound), Bryce Nitzshce (Lux), Ashley Pietenpol (Schoo), Hannah Powell (Christian), Kaela Samek (North American Martyrs), Kaela Senn (Lefler), Nicholas Theisen (St. Teresa), Irena Vecherinskaya (Parkview Christian), Camrie Ventry (Blessed Sacrament).

Lindsay: Rachel Lubischer (St. Francis).

Loomis: Riley Hahn.

Lyons: David Bishop (Lyons-Decatur Northeast), Heidi Miller (Lyons-Decatur Northeast).

Madison: Alexis Millan, Alexandria Scheffler, Veronica Villalobos (St. Francis).

Malcolm: Derek Ruth.

McCool Junction: Gabe Fisher, Alecia Mertz.

Milford: Alexandra Gallentine, Jamie Roth.

Monroe: Dylan Preister (Twin River).

Nebraska City: Kenia Balquier, Taylor Bequette (Lourdes), Eric Holmberg.

Neligh: Megan Chelle (Neligh-Oakdale).

Newman Grove: Megan Nelson.

Nickerson: Mark Hernandez (Logan View).

Niobrara: Mckayla Eisenhauer, Shana LaPointe.

Norfolk: Samuel Castillo, Morgan Heimes, Jolie Nelson (Battle Creek).

Oakdale: Omar Lopez (Elkhorn Valley).

Oakland: Mitchell Nissen (Oakland-Craig), Emily Weitzenkamp (Oakland-Craig).

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Omaha: Meghan Anderson (Alice Buffett), Sahar Azimi (Elkhorn Ridge), James Babic (Sts. Peter and Paul), Maddie Carlisle (St. Vincent de Paul), Juliana Castro (Assumption), Nathan Daugherty (Norris), Allysa Davidson (St. Cecilia Cathedral), Angelica Dunn (King Science/Tech), Joseph Eckley (Mary our Queen), Elizabeth Gaddie (Sts. Peter and Paul), Jeremy Goossen (Omaha Christian Academy), DJ Gulley (Holy Name), Tracy Harrell (St. Stanislaus), Serena Johnson (Andersen), Rachel Lajba (St. Stanislaus), Jaquez Latin (Parrish), Steven Mah (St. Vincent de Paul), Jacob Marasco (Mary our Queen), Yusef McGruder (St. Bernard), Wellesley Michael (Brownell-Talbot), Hailey Molczyk (Blessed Sacrament), Paula Moran-Lopez (Parrish), Katherine Mundorf (St. Gerald), Richard Nguyen (St. Pius X/St. Leo), Gunnar Orcutt (Kiewit), McKenzy Parsons (St. Thomas More), Meghan Petersen (St. Pius X/St. Leo), Nathan Peterson (Millard Central), Shelby Pfeifer (Andersen), Benjamin Phillips (St. James-Seton), Maya Pirie (Holy Name), Bailey Pofahl (St. Bernard), Uri Rueda-Licea (Norris), Jeffrey Schroeder Jr. (Blessed Sacrament), Morgan Schworer (Kiewit), James Scott (Jesuit), Connor Silvey (St. James-Seton), Jermaine Suggs (Jesuit), Cinny Tolbert (Millard Central), Hannah Vankat (Assumption), Bryan Vomacka (St. Thomas More), Tamarrah Wernsman (Alice Buffett), Griffin Willer (Brownell-Talbot), Alec Williams (King Science/Tech).

O'Neill: Erin Boyle (St. Mary's), Janet Rodriguez, Maranda Winter, Jean Zakrzewski (St. Mary's).

Ord: Megan Peterson.

Osceola: Lauryn Gustafson, Alesha Lotspei.

Osmond: MaKayla Johnson (St. Mary).

Page: Ryann Ickes (Orchard).

Panama: Emily Kasparek (Norris).

Papillion: Brady Caverzagie (Papillion Jr. High), Nadane Gnofam (Papillion-La Vista), Kara Harvey (Papillion Jr. High), Emma Neil (La Vista Jr. High), Caity Vacanti (St, Gerald).

Pawnee City: Scott Borcher, Karli Cabrera.

Petersburg: Alex Pelster (Pope John).

Pierce: Mareikel Blake, Dalton Polt.

Plattsmouth: Caitlin Dimmick, Bethany Simoens, Matthew Sullivan (St. John the Baptist).

Ralston: Vicky Barragan-Lopez, Nina Domondon.

Ravenna: Amy Johnson, Damian McAlevy.

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Richland: Joseph Plugge.

Rogers: Kellan Heavican (Schuyler).

Schuyler: Kylie Brabec, Walter Cordova.

Seward: Liliana Gonzalez, Kasey Heath, Brittany Ringler (St. John Lutheran).

Shelby: Joel Gutierrez, Brittany Hopwood.

Shelton: Sidney Graham, Zach Oliver.

Silver Creek: McKenzie Cuba (Twin River).

South Sioux City: David Bernal, Jorge Lopez, Alexia Reyes (St. Michael).

Stanton: Cody Carlson, Katelyn Kerbel.

Staplehurst: Jalynn Brase (Our Redeemer Lutheran).

Stuart: Kayla Bouska, Trevor Ramm.

Superior: Lyndsay Brown, Cole Epley (Lawrence-Nelson), Colton May.

Tecumseh: Tiffany Neukirch (Johnson County Central).

Tilden: Blake Jensen (Elkhorn Valley), William O'Brien (Newman Grove).

Treynor, Iowa: Jamie Jacobsen (Omaha St. Cecilia Cathedral).

Utica: Hayden Johansen (St. Paul's Lutheran).

Valparaiso: Joseph Benes (Wahoo Neumann).

Waterbury: Zachariah Zeisler (St. Michael).

Waterloo: Lilly Kult (Yutan).

Wausa: Lexie Hauger (Bloomfield).

Wayne: Jose Vergara.

Weeping Water: Taylor Hermann, Tom Vodicka.

West Point: Elizabeth Eckmann (St. Paul Lutheran), Marco Flores-Gonzalez, Alyssa Hoffman.

Western: Kelley Villeda (Meridian).

Wilcox: Matthew Cedar (Wilcox-Hildreth).

Wood River: Kelsey Bahe.

Wymore: Chaysen Bednar (Southern), Tejai Turek (Southern).

York: Blake Bailey, Taylor Kadavy (St. Joseph), Keith Kopcho.

Yutan: Samantha Holben.

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Writer: Amy Grantzinger, Asst. Director-Marketing, Admissions, (402) 472-6271,