Eighty-seven seniors from LouPlatte Conference Schools are being honored with Academic All-Conference Awards.

Seniors must score a 26 or higher on the ACT test during their junior or senior high school year to qualify. Ten students with the highest ACT score or all students who score 30 or above are awarded a gold medal.

Central Nebraska medals winners are: Joshua Hansen, Brandon Hollister, Kevin Lennemann, Taylor Overmiller and Kevin Smith of Adams Central; Amy delaMotte and Lacie Wiese of Doniphan-Trumbull; Jordan Kuszak of Loup City;

Allison Maresh and Sean Trampe of Ord; Trevin Chramosta, Britni Hervert and Levi Valentine of Ravenna; Justin Buchanan, Jared Krejci, Kyle Mendyk, Carmen Mostek and Kathryn Olsufka of St. Paul; and Markeya Dubbs, Kevin Harders, Megan Peters and Tim Rennau of Wood River.

Area certificate winners were: Hai Doan, Jessica Gregg, Silas Grothen, Justine Johnson, Brianna Knott, Ashley Landwehr, Shaina Lay, Trenton Lukasiewicz, Brett Miller, Jodi Nikkel, Shane O'Connell, Cortney Pauley, Shane Peterson, Chad Pinkerman, Justin Riese, Todd Smidt and Dominik Towns of Adams Central;

Devin Finecy and David Hurst Jr of Doniphan-Trumbull; Brooke Bendfeldt, John King, Katherine Neujahr and Myles Rasmussen of Gibbon; Marissa Eurek, Alex Hill and Mary Spencer of Loup City; Brock Bandur, Kirk Christensen, Katrina Hackel, Chloe Hill, Hannah Lueck, Cameron MacAlpine, Riley Machal, Brett O'Brien, Sarah Peterson and Nicole Ruterbories of Ord;

Samone Behrendt, Hana Dunning and Kelsie Mingus of Ravenna; Justine Dethlef, Anna Gebhardt, Kayla Hansen, Hillary Nielsen, Jaclyn Northup, Tylor Robinson, Kennan Schleicher and Nicholette Wolinski of St. Paul; and Tiffany Harders of Wood River.

Hunkins to tour Europe with People to People

Kaytlin Hunkins, a sixth-grader at Live Oak Middle School in Killeen, Texas, has been accepted into the People to People Student Ambassador Program. She will join a group of students from the Central Texas area in a 20-day trip to southern Europe, visiting Italy, Sicily and Greece. She will promote international understanding.

Hunkins is the daughter of Todd and Diane Hunkins of Killeen, Texas. Her grandparents are Lyle and Dianne Hunkins of St. Paul and Lonnie and Corlyn Hoard of Alda.

GICC speech team wins novice division

The Grand Island Central Catholic speech team won the novice division of the Northwest High School Speech Meet conducted Feb. 16.

Sophie Foster and Catherine McGowan won the novice duet acting competition, and Rachel Moore took first in novice informative public address.

Jared Hashberger placed second in serious prose, and Adam Suganuma earned second in entertainment speaking.

The team of Nikki Kohles and Jessica Meis placed second in novice duet acting.

Others earning medals in novice competition were: Rachel Moore, third in persuasive; Arena Govier, fourth in extemporaneous; Callie Newman, fourth in poetry; the team of Newman, Michael Pfeifer and Adam Suganuma, fourth in oral interpretation of drama; Hashberger, fifth in poetry; Grace Mohr, fifth in informative; Lauren Cantrell, sixth in serious prose; Govier, sixth in informative; and Clay Pfeifer, sixth in extemporaneous.

In varsity competition, Laura Wirth earned first place honors in informative.

The team of Alysia Strong, MiKayla Northup, and Maegan Kellogg took third place in varsity oral interpretation of drama.

Hannah Davis placed fifth in entertainment, and Sammy Saiyavongsa took sixth place in persuasive.

Makayla Jones receives Girl Scout Gold Award

Makayla Jones, a senior at Grand Island Central Catholic, recently was awarded the Girl Scout Gold Award. Makayla has been a member of Girl Scout Troop 356 since first grade. She is the daughter of Mark and Sherma Jones of Grand Island.

Nebraska Young Artist awards presented

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts has announced the winners of the annual Nebraska Young Artist awards.

Local 2008 Nebraska Young Artist Award winners are: Brooke Brouillette, visual art and Rachelle Smydra, visual art, both of St. Paul; Abby Gentert of Hastings, visual art; and Abbie Davis of Wood River, dance.

Westridge announces honor roll for fall

Westridge Middle School has announced the first semester honor roll for the 2007-2008 school year.

Sixth Grade: Nathan Adams, Austin Allen, Alexis Allgood, Shayne Arriola, Mitchell Baker, Jordyn Barnett, Hailey Bish, Megan Boltz, Aaron Borer, Kayla Brezenski, Kaitlin Brondel, McKenzie Brown, MacKenzie Burnham, Madeline Butler, Leah Carey, Adam Couillard, Preston Dramse, Mariah Franklin, Kianna Friesz, Tyler Garrett, Derian Gewecke-Kreutz, Justin Gill, Victoria Goerl, Rebecca Green;

Jennifer Hammond, Ryan Hipke, Colton Hough, Briana Jim, Jaden Johnson, Hannah Keenportz, Garrett Koepp, Madison Lechner, Courtney Lierman, Madison Martin, Stephen Martin, Audrey Mehring, Dalton Miller, Mitchell Miller, Jacob Morrow, Chelsea Musquiz, Claire Nelson, Kylee Norgaard, Clark Pohlmeier, Brady Powers, Kathryn Rayburn, Seth Redwine, McKenzie Reed, Chase Reis, Ashton Riedy, Braedon Root, Nicolas Rozo Lievano, Micah Runyon, Riley Ruzicka, Jaden Salpas, Shelby Schacher, Riley Shenk, Bailey Shubert, Anna Siebe, Madison Smith, Ryan Socha, Sarah Splattstoesser, Lane Uhing, Leigh Uhing, Braelyn Verba, Ember Williby, and Amanda Winder.

Seventh Grade: Brandon Bachle, Shawna Behring, Jessica Bober, Matthew Bolan, Bryanna Cain, Samuel Carey, Melanie Chohon, Kelsey Faaborg, Garrett Forgey, Alec Gammon, Holly Green, Grady Gudzinski, Amanda Hansen, Cody Harms, Shana Havenridge, Madison Hedges, Aaron Hoffman, Alexis Iversen, Camie Jay, Beau Johnson, Jada Johnson, Lindsey Johnson, Brandi Kirk, Trevor Kraft, Cole Leaman, Lyndsey Lute, Morgan Mallory, Alyssa Marian, Nicolle Nellson, Gavin Oakman, MaKaya O'Neill, Kirby Pedersen, Kendra Robinson, Zachary Rouzee, Jessica Saddler, Kenna Sattley, Austin Scheer, Nicole Schroeder, Catherine Sokol, Kiersten Sullivan, Shawn Sumner, Abigale Svoboda, Anna Toner, Morgan Valasek, and Brianna Vitera.

Eighth Grade: Abigail Adams, Emily Blayney, Kassandra Bush, Alec Coman, Dalton Croot, Rickki Engert, Alexandra Eriksen, Luck Friesen, Garrett Gustafson, Eric Hurley, Andrea Kordik, Alyssa Mangus, Kelcey Norgaard, Arista Nowicki, Allison Osler, Courtney Pattison, Andrew Riedy, Stacy Ritchie, Cody Rush, Megan Shenk, Brittany Shriner, Hannah Skiles, Morgan Smith, Danielle Soukup, Sydney Trosper, Sierra Turpin, Gabrielle Usrey, Jonathan Vasquez, and Jared Wilson.