SHS Named 2014 Sweepstake Champion-Top High School at the 2014 Nebraska State Fair

September 25, 2014

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The top Education Sweepstake Award was presented to Seward High at a recent convocation honoring SHS and the first place winners in the recent State Fair Competition.  The awards were presented by Judi Harper, Education Director at the Nebraska State Fair, recognizing and honoring the six first place recipients from Seward High who competed in the educational competitions at the State Fair in 2014.  Honored were Austin Van Velson-First in Science, Jake Marshall-First in Social Studies, Delainy Baker-First in Penmanship, Stacey Damanhoury-First in Cup Stacking, Siana Dyell-First in Computer Graphics, Ben Galusha-First in Essay and the SHS Quiz Bowl team-Evan Mettenbrink, Alexa Bruick, Will Helmer, Austin Van Velson, Ben Galusha and Clara Heinicke-First in Quiz Bowl.

 Austin Van Velson was named first runner-up at the State Fair Individual Sweepstakes Contest, losing to the first place winner from Lincoln East High with one point difference separating them! The award was based on number of competitions entered and rankings in those contests.

Seward High was also recognized for their success overall, and was named the first place winner in the Grand Sweepstakes completion for High Schools in Nebraska, based on number of entries and successful scores and placing in the various competitions. They defeated Lincoln East, who was the runner up and York , who placed third overall.  Coordinating teachers for the State Fair entries were Pan Franck and Clark Kolterman.  They were sponsored by the School District of Seward High Ability Learner Program.

Photo: Presenting the Sweepstakes trophy to representatives from Seward High was Judi Harper of Grand Island, representing the Nebraska State Fair Education Division.  She named SHS the First over all High School Champion in the Education Division of the Nebraska State Fair and presented the school with a trophy from the Nebraska State Fair.  Pictured L-R Front Row Hailey Brown-first in Shakespeare Monologue, Stacey Damahoury-First in Cup Stacking, Delainy Baker-First in Penmanship, Austin Van Velson-First in Science, Quiz Bowl and First Runner-up in Individual Sweepstakes award, Judy Harper-Grand Island-Education Division Chair of Nebraska State Fair, Back Row L-R: Alexa Bruick-First Place Quiz Bowl, Clara Heinicke-First Place Quiz Bowl, Ben Galusha-First Place Quiz Bowl, Jake Marshall-First Place Social Studies, Will Helmer-First Place-Quiz Bowl.  Damanhoury holds the High School State Fair Sweepstakes Championship Trophy and Van Velson holds his First Runner-up Individual Sweepstakes trophy.