2025 Hall of Fame Recap

Carl L. White Educator of the Year: Nicole Heller

Sarah Addink, Manchester Elementary Principal, introduced Nicole by saying that she is a “steady voice and an innovative mind.” Nicole said one of the best things about this award is that it has “allowed me to reflect on the numerous individuals who have been a part of my journey and who support me to this day.”

Born and raised in Omaha, Nicole (Riley) Heller graduated from Roncalli Catholic High School, earned a BA in Psychology, and later gained a MS and EdS in School Psychology from the University of Nebraska Omaha. With specific interests in behavior and autism, she enrolled in a program at Florida Institute of Technology, becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in 2018. While working on becoming a BCBA, she also pursued hours toward becoming a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner.

Blessed to work as a school psychologist for almost 26 years, Nicole initially served Fremont Public Schools for two years. After 24 years at EPS, Nicole has witnessed tremendous district growth and has served on the EPS Birth-3 Team, EPS preschools, and elementary teams at Westridge, Hillrise, West Dodge Station, Woodbrook, Manchester, and Iron Bluff. Additionally, she has been a member and served various roles for the state and local Elkhorn Education Association (EEA). Working in EPS has provided many cherished memories and enabled her to work side-by-side with numerous dedicated individuals and skilled teams who work tirelessly to make life better for kids and families, which is ultimately why she became a school psychologist.

Golden Apple Educator of the Year: Jorey Prange

Troy Sidders, Arbor View Elementary Principal, introduced Jorey by saying, “She meets kids exactly where they are at.” Jorey thanked all the people in her life who have helped her throughout her teaching journey, including her students. She said, “I want to thank my students because there has never been a day when I haven’t had a happy surprise or unexpected lesson.”

Jorey Prange was born and raised in Firth, NE, by Jamie and Jerry Prange. She graduated from Norris High School in 2016. Jorey knew from a very young age that she wanted to be a teacher. She spent many hours playing school with her sister, cousins, and friends as a child. She had several opportunities to work with young children and was always looking for more ways to be around children! Jorey has been fortunate to have an extremely supportive family who values the importance of education and continuously pushes her to be the best teacher for her students.

Jorey started teaching preschool at Arbor View Elementary in 2020. She is very appreciative to work with such an incredible and passionate early childhood education team in the Elkhorn Public Schools. The amount of work and dedication the early childhood team puts into every student makes the team special and an honor to be a part of. Jorey is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Special Education in hopes of continuing to learn more about how to best support all students.

Support Staff Member of the Year: Andrea Abrahamson

Melissa Mehlmann, Hillrise Elementary Principal, introduced Andrea by saying, “She’s the calm of the storm on busy mornings, the problem solver when schedules go sideways, and the steady hand that ensures our staff, students, and families are always supported.” Andrea noted that she is happy to “lend her calm” whenever needed and “this is the job I GET to do.”

In 2019, Andrea joined the Elkhorn Public Schools as an administrative assistant at Hillrise Elementary. She believes schools are the “hubs and hearts” of neighborhoods, and Hillrise exemplifies a culture that puts students and families first. The “it-takes-a-village” philosophy is central to the Hillrise community, and Andrea considers it an honor to support teachers and principals in their mission to help others become their best selves. She is grateful every day for the privilege of contributing to this mission and considers it an honor to help make the community better than she found it.

Former Educator of the Year: Mike O’Kane

Steve Patras, former EPS Counselor, introduced Mike by saying, “Mike was so skilled at challenging talented students to reach their potential, but his true talent was inspiring struggling students.” Mike accepted his award by saying, “God put me in a good place when he put me in Elkhorn.”

Mike O’Kane was born in Le Mars, IA. He graduated from Gehlen Catholic High School then continued his education at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, IA, graduating in 1982. Mike and his wife, Cindy, have been married for 43 years and are very proud of their four children; Jacque, Sheena, Angie, and Travis, who are all graduates of Elkhorn High School. Mike and Cindy are also the proud grandparents of 11 grandchildren.

Mike began his teaching career at Spalding High School in Granville, IA. After three years of teaching and coaching, he changed locations to Elkhorn, NE, where he taught middle school and high school science his first year. He then taught full-time in high school. Mike taught Life Sciences including biology, horticulture, environmental, and dissection-based classes. He helped create the outdoor classroom at Elkhorn High School with the help of his horticulture classes. Mike taught and coached for 30 years: 25 at Elkhorn High School and five at Elkhorn South High School. He retired in 2015. Since retiring, Mike has stayed connected to education by substitute teaching and coaching near Logan, IA.

Alumnus of the Year: John Carda

Mark Wortman, EPS School Board Member, introduced John by saying, “The Carda family and Elkhorn are synonymous.” John noted that accepting the Alumnus of the Year award is a “wonderful honor” and it is because of the “tremendous support” he has received throughout his life from his family.

John Carda is an Omaha-born Nebraskan. He is an Elkhorn Public Schools graduate (Class of 1980), received his Bachelor of Sciences degrees in Social Studies, Physical Education, and Sports Medicine from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and has a Master of Science degree in Educational Administration from the University of Nebraska Omaha.

Throughout his career, his passions have always been education and sports medicine. He is a retired teacher with 32 years of experience, and he has served as the Head Athletic Trainer for Gretna East High School for the last three years. Prior to this, John worked in sports medicine at Methodist Fremont Health in Fremont, Nebraska. He spent 25 years at Elkhorn High School, and seven years at Elkhorn South High School where he was enlisted to teach and create sports medicine care for Elkhorn Public Schools.

TeamMates Mentor of the Year: Nikki Kirshenbaum

Jennifer Meyer, TeamMates of Elkhorn President, introduced Nikki by reading a quote from a nominator that read: “Nikki isn’t just a mentor. She transforms lives through compassion, consistency, and heart.” Nikki accepted her award by saying, “I love this program because it’s fun, it gives me a sense of purpose, and honestly, there’s nothing better than getting to spend time laughing, crafting, playing games and cards, and just being present.”

Nikki grew up in Omaha, NE, and graduated from Burke High School in 1992. She attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she majored in Elementary Education and graduated in 1997. After graduation, she pursued a Master’s degree while teaching for the Omaha Public School District. Nikki met her husband, Adam, while in high school. They have two children: Joey and Jordyn. Joey graduated from ESHS in 2020 and is currently attending the University of Nebraska Medical Center Medical School in Omaha. Jordyn graduated from ESHS in 2022 and is currently attending UNMC Lincoln Nursing School.

When Nikki first became a mentor in EPS, the program was called Partners in Education. In 2018, EPS adopted the TeamMates program, and Nikki was asked to be a part of the first TeamMates Board. Throughout her time as a mentor, Nikki has had the opportunity to work with four different students (with matches ending because of students moving out of the district). For Nikki, being a mentor with TeamMates has been a lot of fun and rewarding.

Community Booster of the Year: Charleston Homes

Dan Radicia, Elkhorn North High School Principal, introduced Charleston Homes by saying, “Marc and Heidi build dreams.” Dan noted Charleston Homes’ GRIT Scholarship and their work following the Elkhorn tornado. Marc Stodola thanked everyone for the award and noted that it is all about “helping each other.”

Charleston Homes is proud to provide the best homebuilding experience in Omaha. In 2007, Charleston Homes began with the idea of being the best value in a custom neighborhood. Having built in more than 150 neighborhoods around the Omaha area, Charleston Homes has become “Omaha’s Builder.” In the Elkhorn community alone, they’ve built 725 homes in 20 neighborhoods.

Two of the most important keys to Charleston Homes’ successes are their building process and relationships. Charleston Homes’ building process relies on both efficiency and dependability through communication and properly set expectations. That process ends with an emphasis on warranty to ensure that buyers are satisfied with their home, long after they’ve moved in. When a tornado changed everything on April 26, 2024, their processes and relationships proved to be extremely important. Many homeowners in the Arbor View neighborhood turned to Charleston Homes to rebuild their homes. With commitment from their employees and all their contractors, Charleston Homes was able to keep their promise of having every homeowner back in their home in less than a year. Charleston Homes is honored to have been a part of the rebuilding effort.

Volunteer of the Year: Kolleen Benjamin

Sarah Addink, Manchester Principal, introduced the Kolleen by saying, “Kolleen has been a staple at Manchester. Kolleen does it with grace and professionalism.” Kolleen accepted her award noting that “good stuff comes from PTOs.” She is also an EPS alumni, and said, “Even as Elkhorn grows, we’ve never lost that small town feel.”

Kolleen (Quinn) Benjamin is an Elkhorn High School Class of 1995 graduate and is a third-generation graduate of Elkhorn Public Schools. The Quinn Family has a deep-rooted history in the Elkhorn area. Her two children will be fourth generation graduates of EPS.

Volunteering has been central to Kolleen’s life. She has volunteered with Manchester Elementary PTO for nine years. She served as their Communications Chair for eight years. She has also served as the Communications Chair for the Elkhorn Grandview Middle School (EGMS) Booster Club for three years. She is an active volunteer with other organizations including St. Patrick’s Catholic Church of Elkhorn, EGMS Grand Marquee Show Choir, Womenade of Elkhorn, Elkhorn Women’s Collective, Elkhorn Historical Society, Access Period, and works as an Account Director for Inclosed Letterpress Co. in Omaha.