Julya Metschke Selected First Youth Rotarian of the Year
Launch the media gallery 1 playerJulya Metschke, daughter of Jon and Amy Metschke of Seward, was selected the first Seward Youth Rotarian of the Year and recognized and honored on Wednesday, August 23, 2023 at the Seward Rotary Club luncheon meeting at the Jones Bank. She was introduced by Rotarian Anita Foor.
Julya is first and foremost, a scholar with a 4.1 Grade Point Average. She is always on the SHS Honor Roll and a valued member of the SHS National Honor Society. She has many dual credit classes with Concordia University in Seward and Southeast Nebraska Community College. She is proud to hold claim to being a “Carson Scholar” for 2023! She is a member of the SHS Quiz Bowl team and participated and honored at the Education Division of the Nebraska State Fair. She has been awarded the State Fair’s Brad Fosberg Award twice for her presentations at the State Fair.
Julya has been a leader in the local Seward High Family, Career, Community Leaders of America Chapter (SHS FCCLA) and served as the local FCCLA Chapter Vice President and the current FCCLA Chapter President and has been the FCCLA District 2 President as well. She has always entered the FCCLA STAR Speaking program and placed first and Qualified for FCCLA Nationals as well with her presentations and projects. She is the 2023-2024 “Teen Suicide Awareness Week” Chair for the SHS FCCLA, planning a host of awareness activities in September of this year to promote the issue. She is also proud of her FCCLA work with the homeless.
She is also a member of the SHS Key Club, currently serving as their Treasurer and chaired the recent Children’s Parade on July 4 –sponsored by Key Club. She is a member of the SHS FFA and involved with the award winning SHS Parli-Pro Team. She is a member of the new SHS Acts of Kindness Club.
She was selected and serves as an SHS Ambassador and hosts many visitors to Seward High.
Julya loves music and was selected to be in Mixed Choir, Jazz Choir and Select Choir at SHS, as well as the award winning Show Choir-one of the Dance Captains. She was selected to be in the Concordia University Honor Choir, the Seward Concordia University High School Summer Choir, the National Youth Gathering Choir and the UNK Honor Choir. She is a long time member and leader with the SHS vocal performance program as well. She has participated in the SHS Musicals and looks forward to this musical-her senior year.
Her SHS Band involvement includes Symphonic Band and Marching Band playing the French Horn and was also selected to participate in Wind Ensemble. She was a Color Guard and Winter Guard member and choreographed the Color Guard Routine.
Her community involvement includes her membership in Shooting Stars 4-H Club and a member of the Seward County Junior Leaders. She is the current President of the Junior Leaders Club and has received many honors during her 4-H years.
She is a member of the ROCK Lutheran Church-a voice of youth for the congregation and a member of their Godparent Program. She attended the Lutheran National Youth Gathering. She is youth Chair for the Seward Fourth of July Committee and has been involved with Seward’s Fourth since she was named the Seward Rotary Club’s “Miss Independence” in 2015 and “Sesquicentennial Sue” in 2017.
She is a member of the SHS Speech Team in Serious Prose-serving as one of the team captains and is also involved in the SHS One Acts and selected an Outstanding Actress at both the Central Conference and District Contests.
She has worked a detassler with “Premier Detasseling” and also has a dog sitting business that keeps her busy.
Julya loves being a member of the SHS Girl’s Golf Team, coached by Jim Placke.
She loves to dance and been involved in lessons since 2011, and enjoys tap dance, ballet, pointe and jazz at Shelly’s School of Dance.
In the area of “Service Above Self,” Julya has over 800 hours of community service documented during her high school years. Besides the many areas of community service opportunities with her high school clubs, she has been involved with Camp Luther and many volunteer opportunities as St. John Lutheran Church and school - with the various Vacation Bible School and Summer Horizon programs.
Her college and career plans are still pending.
Julya was thanked for her longtime service to Seward High and the Community of Seward and presented with a Rotary Banner, a bag of materials and a Rotary Book Scholarship for college. She will be recognized again at the SHS Honors Day in May and is a finalist for the Rotary Club Youth Rotarian of the Year.