Gokie Twins Honored First Seward Youth Rotarian’s for 2020-2021 School Year
Launch the media gallery 1 playerThe Seward Gokie twins-Emily and Elizabeth Gokie were selected to be honored as the first Seward Youth Rotarian’s for the 2020/2021 school year. They were guests of the Seward Rotary Club at their noon luncheon meeting on Wednesday, August 19th at the Seward Civic Center. They are the daughters of Rich and Kate Gokie. The girls were introduced by Rotarian Dr. Matt Dominy and he presented them each with mementos and information on Seward and the Seward Rotary Club.
Identical twins, both Emily and Elizabeth, have many things in common but in reading their resumes, you discover that they are very unique individuals. Both Emily and Elizabeth share top grades, having a 4.0 grade point average or a 4.21 with weighted grades. Both have enjoyed numerous college classes while enrolled at Seward High School and are presently in Calculus II at Concordia University in Seward. They both competed with various Math Contests at UNL and Doane University in Crete.
Both are leaders and longtime members of the Seward National Honor Society (NHS) and participated in the SHS Quiz Bowl team and various academic competitions. They are both members of the SHS Speech team and have been on Honor Roll every semester while at SHS. They both received the AP Scholar Award and The Elks Club award. Elizabeth also won the Carson Scholar Nominee award and NSAA Academic All State award in Cross Country, was the Girls State Delegate and selected for Young Nebraska Scientist Biology internship program. During their freshman year, Emily was the class Treasurer and Elizabeth was the class Vice President.
The twins were both very involved with extracurricular activities at Seward High. Both girls participated and were leaders on the SHS Cross Country team and lettered for the last three years. Elizabeth was selected All-Conference and a State Qualifier last year. They both were very involved with the USA Swimming program with numerous awards and participated in the half marathon. They were members of the SHS track team for the Girls Track Program for one year and Emily was involved with the Seward Bowling team last year. They have both been involved with piano lessons all during their high school career.
Elizabeth and Emily are both active volunteers at SHS and leaders in the local Skills USA Chapter, and members of the SHS FCCLA Chapter too. Elizabeth was recognized for her FCCLA STAR project, crocheting and donating 54 teddy bears to Children’s Hospital in Omaha to the Child Life Department.
Elizabeth recently participated in the Nebraska State Fair Education Division Competition in Community Service contest.
Job Shadows have been another common denominator for the Gokie twins. Emily job shadowed a Public Defender and a Civil Engineer. Elizabeth’s job shadows involved working with a Pathologist, a Family Nurse Practitioner and a Microbiologist. She also attended the Biomedical Science Camp at Bryan College of Health Sciences and Emily completed a Codecademy: Intro to Java Script and Coursera: Nanotechnology : A Makers Course.
The girls have both been long employed at their family convenience store “Fast Mart” in Seward and both worked at Dowding Memorial Swimming Pool as a Lifeguard and teaching swimming lessons. Emily also worked for the University of Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience this last year researching lasers.
Emily and Elizabeth are active members and volunteers for their church St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Seward and volunteer for the church dinners, and fish fries. They are active members of their Godparent Youth Program and considered strong voices for youth in their congregation.
In the area of “Service Above Self’ the girls have been longtime blood donors and coaches for the Seward Swim Team clocking in a total of 165 hours of service combined as volunteer coaches. They have also been volunteer Youth Track camp volunteer student assistants each summer of their high school career as well. Elizabeth also volunteered over 245 hours of work in crocheting and donating 54 teddy bears to the Omaha Children’s Hospital. She was also very involved with a gravestone research project and presentation centering around a gravestone found on their farm.
Emily’s college plans are still undecided but hasn’t decided on a school yet, but is considering UNL or Alabama. I want to major in computer engineering and am interested in a career in software development.
Elizabeth’s college plans are also still “undecided” however she is considering about UNL, Alabama, or Baylor. I want to study biology or chemistry for pre-med then plans to attend medical school.
Both Emily and Elizabeth were recognized and thanked for their strong drive and high work ethic and saluted for their service and volunteer efforts. Each was presented with a book scholarship and a Seward Rotary Club Banner and information on Seward, the Seward Rotary Club and Rotary International. They are now the first finalists of the annual Seward Rotary Club’s Annual “Youth Rotarian of the Year” scholarship awarded in May at the annual SHS Honors program.
The Seward Rotary Club recognizes a Seward High Senior each month during the school year and applications are available to all SHS Seniors, and were distributed to each senior by the SHS Counselors. For more information contact the SHS Counselor’s office or Seward Rotarian Clark Kolterman at clark.kolterman@sewardschools.org