Grand Island Senior High School's Skills USA chapter participated in the Nebraska Leadership and Skills Conference on March 27 to 29, with three students earning medals.

Leslie Steele placed third in architectural drafting. Adam Straight was first in technical drafting, and Cody Friedrichsen finished first in carpentry.

Straight and Friedrichsen qualified for the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference set for June in Kansas City, where they will compete against winners from the other 49 states, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Students competed in the carpentry, technical drafting, architectural drafting, metal inert gas welding and tungsten inert gas welding divisions.

SkillsUSA students are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations, including health occupations. The program was formerly known as Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA).

Students receive awards from Pearl Harbor Remembrance Fund

Four high school seniors from Central Nebraska schools were awarded $100 from the 2008 Pearl Harbor Remembrance Fund.

They are Samantha Chytka of Broken Bow, Levi Valentine of Ravenna, Kristen Husen of Alda and Jonathan Ritta of Marquette. They were chosen by staff at their respective high school based on scholastic achievement.

The Remembrance Fund gives the awards to 22 students each year, one for each of the 22 Nebraskans who remains entombed in the USS Arizona, which went down in Pearl Harbor in World War II. The students selected are from the same hometowns as the sailors on the Arizona.

Area students take part in Jazz Festival

NORFOLK Officials at Northeast Community College in Norfolk have released results of the 26th Annual Northeast Community College Jazz Festival.

Approximately 3,000 junior high and high school musicians in 80 different performing groups from Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota participated in four levels of competition. The Northeast Community College music department sponsored the competition in association with the Norfolk Area Jazz Ensemble.

Westridge Middle School took the first place Level IV (Junior High) Trophy for swing/jazz choir as well as the third place Level IV Trophy for jazz band. Aurora High School took third place Level II (High School) Trophy for jazz band.

Westridge received superior ratings in swing/jazz choir. Ord High School received excellent ratings in swing/jazz choir. Aurora High School received superior ratings in jazz band. Westridge Middle School received excellent ratings in jazz band.

Shana Havenridge of Westridge, tenor sax; Sibylle Gerber of Aurora, alto sax; and Jordan Hughes of Aurora, drums, received solo certificates for their performances.

Goldenrod Conference names All-Academic team

The Goldenrod Conference has named its All-Conference Academic Team for the 2007-08 school year.

Seniors in member schools who score a 26 to 29 on the ACT test receive a certificate. Seniors who score a 30 or higher on the ACT receive a Goldenrod Conference Gold Medal.

Receiving medals were Kaitlyn DeLashmutt, Burwell; Jordan Klimek, Burwell; Courtney Wells, Palmer; and Molly Wolf, Palmer.

Earning certificates were Jordan Anderson, Burwell; Tashia Anderson, Burwell; Josh Johnson, Burwell; Nathan Jurgensen, Burwell; Samantha Marcoux, Burwell; Brandon Loeffler, Cedar Rapids; Jesse Bartels, Heartland Lutheran; Jeffrey Seim, Heartland Lutheran;

Christine Ritta, Nebraska Christian; Mike Swanson, Nebraska Christian; Kristine Linke, North Loup Scotia; Mary Buhrman, Palmer; Lauren Harrahill, Palmer; Scott Saltzgaber, Palmer; Jess Asche, Spalding/Spalding Academy; Corey Thome, Spalding/Spalding Academy; and Christy Laska, St. Edward.

GISH students attend leadership conference

Grand Island Senior High Health Occupations Students of America participated in the 2008 State Leadership Conference in Omaha on March 27 and 28.

Several students received awards at the conference including Chelsey Williams, Outstanding GISH HOSA member and third place in Job Seeking Skills; Haili Copas-Starke, fourth place in Job Seeking Skills; and Sierra Hansen, fifth place in Extemporaneous Writing.

Williams qualified to participate in the 31st National Leadership Conference June 18 through 21 in Dallas.

Grand Island HOSA was also recognized for being the largest chapter in Nebraska.