Several Central Nebraska students participated in the Women in Science Conference at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln sponsored by Nebraska EPSCoR and the UNL Center for Science, Mathematics and Computer Education.

More than 64 girls from Nebraska and Kansas, representing 16 high schools, attended the conference on Feb 22 and 23.

Those attending from Elba Public Schools were juniors Sami Wysocki and Shari Spilinek and freshmen Michelle Dvorack and Ashley Spilinek. Hollie O'Brien, a freshman from Ord, and Ashley Chalupa, a senior at Grand Island Central Catholic, completed the group. Marie Nielsen, a science teacher for Elba Public Schools, sponsored the students.

Students had an opportunity to meet women role models in science-related careers as well as the opportunity to visit St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center and the UNL George W. Beadle Center for Genetics and Biomaterials Research. The students also heard from UNL undergraduate and graduate women students in science-related areas of study and tourned the College of Engineering.

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Greeley-Wolbach High School student Patrick Kennedy has been notified that his artwork has been selected for the third annual Nebraska State Visual Art Awards Exhibition.

Ben Robbins, a senior at Grand Island Senior High School, has received honors through three national academic recognition competitions. Robbins is one of 250 finalists in the 2007-08 Coca-Cola Scholars Program. He is one of 2,700 candidates in the 2008 Presidential Scholars Program, sponsored by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars. Also, he is a semi-finalist in the 2008 Toyota Community Scholars competition.