Seward High Recognized at the Keep Nebraska Beautiful Awards Banquet

October 02, 2023

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Seward High was one of the Top Winners –named First Place in Nebraska High Schools in Recycling Efforts.  The program is coordinated by Pat Piskorski.  The SHS FCCLA was First Runner-up in Secondary High School Groups with Environmental, Recycling and Beautification projects. 

The community of Seward was recognized many times during the 2023 “Keep Nebraska Beautiful Sustainability Awards” Banquet held Thursday, September 27^th at Kearney in the Younes Convention Hall’s Crystal Ball Room.  Attending from Seward were Dan and Joanie Brecka for the Seward SCCDP, Julya Metschke and April Hoffbauer for the SHS FCCLA and Seward High and Clark Kolterman for the Keep Seward Beautiful Committee.

The City of Seward won the top award of the evening ‘The Deanie Anderson Award”-“First Place-Top Community in the State” - Keep Nebraska Beautiful Sustainability Award. Anderson of Omaha,  was the longtime Chair of “Keep Nebraska Beautiful.” 

The community of Seward was recognized for their local beautification efforts, both downtown and throughout the community, the new signage program downtown, the downtown redevelopment/refurbishing of the store fronts, the outstanding local recycling efforts, the successful annual Clean Up Seward Day, the strong sense of civic groups working together and the outstanding volunteer efforts throughout the community on so many endeavors. The plaque will be presented to the City Council at a future meeting.

Seward High was named the Best Recycling High School program in Nebraska and won the Top Secondary High School Recycling Award from Keep Nebraska Beautiful.  The award was the Keep Nebraska Beautiful Sustainability Award School Recycling Award –First Place.  The project is coordinated and sponsored by SHS teacher Pat Piskorski. 

The Seward County Chamber and Development Partnership was recognized with the First Runner up/Second Place award in Outstanding Clean-Up programing.  They won the Keep Nebraska Beautiful Sustainably Award –The “Great American Clean-Up Award”-Second Place. Joan Brecka accepted the award for the SCCDP. 

The Seward High FCCLA (Family Career, Community Leaders of America) volunteer organization was presented the First Runner-Up/Second Place Award in Secondary High School Organizations with Recycling efforts.  The award was the Keep Nebraska Beautiful Sustainability Award Youth Group Secondary. Julya Metschke, SHS FCCLA President accepted the award.

The Seward Girl Scout Troop 20622 was named First Runner-up/Second Place in the Jane Polson Beautification Program for their various beautification projects in Seward. 

The GFWC Seward Woman’s Club was the first to be recognized for their longtime beautification efforts and their 50 + years of celebrating Arbor Day in Seward.  They won an “Award of Excellence” in Beautification.

Jean Kolterman serves as the Chair of the Keep Seward Beautiful Committee but was unable to attend the evening event. 

Keep Nebraska Beautiful is an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful.  For more information on Keep Nebraska Beautiful visit www.knb.org

Photo L-R Dan Brecka, Joanie Brecka, Clark Kolterman, Julya Metschke and April Hoffbauer.