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Alumni Spotlight: Joe Wherry
Interview conducted by Ann Huddleston, Alumni Relations
1996 Elkhorn High School alum Joe Wherry is a former detective with the Omaha Police Department, and current local business owner – Mathanisum and Junk King. Math is one of those subjects that just doesn’t come easily to everyone. Some of us might need a little extra help turning on that light bulb. Following a positive experience with his son and Mathnasium, Joe opened Mathnasium in Elkhorn on 205th St. in 2022. After graduating in ‘96, Joe studied Criminal Justice at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. He then interned for the Omaha Police department in 2000, joining the force the next year. In 2005, Joe became a detective and then a sergeant in 2007. He spent time in the North Investigations and Homicide divisions before transitioning to Internal Affairs in 2018. In 2020, Joe returned to Elkhorn to work in patrol at the West Precinct. He retired from the police force on February 1st, 2025, in order to focus his attention on his businesses. And since Joe likes to stay busy, he signed on to be a part-time School Resource Office for Omaha Public Schools. Joe and his wife, Andrea, live in Elkhorn with their two sons, Grant, ESHS Class of 2023 and Alex, ESHS Class of 2026.
What are some of your standout memories of your time in Elkhorn and Elkhorn High School?
One memory that stands out is when I recently volunteered with the West-O Chamber to deliver food baskets to families in need. It really brought me back to my own childhood. Growing up on the outskirts of Elkhorn, my family often needed help, especially since my parents were both sick. We got food baskets and other support from the community, which made a huge difference. I’ll never forget when classmates would drop off meals after my mom passed away. The Elkhorn community really came through for us.
Another memory is biking to school along the Old Lincoln Highway and stopping for ice cream at Dairy Chef afterwards. Also, my first job at Gateway Lanes was great. I loved being able to bowl for free whenever I wanted!
Do you have any favorite teachers?
I remember Mrs. Weckerman (though we called her Mrs. Watermelon). She was a fun, friendly teacher, and I remember her swinging on the swing set at Hillrise during recess. It was so out of the ordinary, but it made me realize how cool she was.
In high school, I connected the most with the football coaches—Mr. Wortman, Mr. Koll, and Mr. Bacus. I had a lot of respect for them and always enjoyed being in their classes.
How did you decide to major in Criminal Justice?
Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be a police officer. Growing up, we didn’t have much, and we only had one TV in the house, which my dad controlled. He watched old westerns, Andy Griffith, and military shows, and I think that influenced me. Those shows always had good guys standing up for what’s right, and I wanted to be like them. We also had positive experiences with local law enforcement, and I admired their professionalism. I figured a Criminal Justice degree would help me get where I wanted to go in my career.
Can you share any interesting stories from your time as a detective?
I spent about 15 years as a detective, so there are a lot of cases I could talk about, but one that sticks out was one of my first homicide cases. At the beginning, we didn’t have much to go on, but through careful work, we brought in a suspect. During the interview, I could tell the suspect was starting to crack. Then, there was this moment when he became emotional, sighed deeply, dropped his head and confessed. It was a huge relief, and it felt great to give the family the answers they needed.
Another story I remember is when Elkhorn was annexed by Omaha. I was assigned as the detective covering the newly added Elkhorn area, and a lot of people were upset. As someone who grew up there, I could relate to their concerns and reassure them that crime wasn’t going to increase just because they didn’t have their own police department anymore. It helped to have that personal connection with the community.
You opened Mathnasium in July of 2022, what inspired you to open Mathnasium?
The idea for Mathnasium came from my son. When he was in 8th grade, he was really struggling with math, and his test scores were below the district average. I found a Mathnasium center nearby, and after a few months, he came home and said, “Math is easy now.” That was a big turning point for him, and I noticed how many other kids could probably use that same kind of help. So, when I returned to patrol, I realized it was the perfect time to try something new. I reached out to Mathnasium, and even though they initially told me Elkhorn wasn’t big enough, I convinced them to give it a shot. After a discovery day in Los Angeles, I bought the territory and opened the center in 2022.
How does it work? Why is it different?
What makes Mathnasium different is that we don’t just help kids with their homework; we address the root of the problem. If a student is struggling with division word problems, for example, we’ll look at their foundational skills and find that they might be missing something basic like understanding how to halve odd numbers. Once they master those building blocks, things like division become a lot easier. It’s not just a quick fix—it’s about building confidence and skills that last.
Traditional tutoring tends to only fix the immediate problem. A student might get help with a specific topic, but they’ll continue to struggle with other concepts if their foundation isn’t solid. At Mathnasium, we make sure they fully understand the fundamentals before moving on. And for advanced students, we push them ahead of their grade level. I’ve seen students test out of subjects like Algebra because they’ve already mastered it at Mathnasium!
Do you have any new projects in the works?
I’m excited to share that I’ve recently acquired the rights to a Junk King franchise, covering the entire metro area as my service territory. Junk King is North America’s leading junk removal company, with nearly 200 locally owned locations across the U.S. and Canada.
At Junk King, we make junk removal easy, affordable, and eco-friendly. Our trucks are 20% larger than the competition, providing more value per load. Plus, Junk King’s model requires franchisees to recycle or donate at least 60% of everything we haul—helping to keep items out of landfills.
I’m currently preparing for launch, with two weeks of training scheduled this month and an active search underway for the right location to set up shop. I plan to open between April and May and can’t wait to bring Junk King’s trusted service to the community!
What do you do in your spare time?
Right now, I exercise at Crossfit Elkhorn (formally OneGym Elkhorn) 4-5 days a week at 5 am. I am a fair-weather bicyclist. I like to ride from my house around Lake Zorinsky and back. It is a great way to decompress and listen to podcasts. On my days off from Omaha Police, you’ll often find me working other off-duty police jobs at local events. I like to stay busy. I also like to take at least one vacation a year, we have gone to Disney World a few times, Cancun Mexico (Moon Palace is great 3-times), and Las Vegas several times.
What is your advice for current high school students?
My advice would be to do your research before jumping into a career or business. Find something that suits your skills and passions. Also, don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. When I thought about opening a business, I was really stressed about the uncertainty, but I did my homework, reached out to other business owners, and felt much more confident in my decision.
And, of course, math is super important. A lot of jobs in STEM fields require strong math skills, and that’s only going to grow in the future. If you search the top 20 highest-paying jobs out of school, you see most if not all have a basis in math. It’s a great way to open doors for your career!
Accepting Donations For Bids For Kids 2025
Mark Your Calendars for Thursday, Oct. 9th!
We know it’s early, but we wanted get Bids For Kids 2025 on your calendar! Tickets, tables, and sponsorships will be available during the summer. One way to contribute to Bids For Kids now is by donating an auction item. See below for auction item donation suggestions.
Interested in donating or have questions? Contact us at foundation@elkhornfoundation.org or call the Foundation office at (402) 289-1727.
Elkhorn High School sweethearts Jace (1991) and Teresa (Todd, 1992) Swartzendruber
High school sweathearts Jace and Teresa (Todd) Swartzendruber have been together 34 years together and counting! Jace Swartzenruber works at Conagra Brands as a supply chain manager. Locally, he serves as a TeamMates mentor and a high school youth leader at Relevant Community Church. He is also part of the EPS Alumni Scholarship selection committee. Teresa works at Fat Brain Toys as a warehouse coordinator. They have three children who all graduated from Elkhorn High School as well: Kyle, class of 2016, Emily, class of 2018, and Sophie, class of 2021. Kyle is married (also married his high school sweetheart from Elkhorn (Holly Poehlman), Emily is also married, and Sophie is finishing her senior year of college at the University of Nebraska.
Jace shared the answers to the following questions:
Give us a brief history of when you started dating and how long you’ve been married.
We started dating at the end of my senior year (Class of ’91) and the end of Teresa’s junior year (Class of ’92). We have been married 29 years and will be celebrating our 30 year anniversary this July.
What’s your favorite memory together?
My favorite high school memory is Teresa waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs of the senior balcony to say goodbye before she headed out to soccer practice. Every day I would look forward to it 🙂
When you were in high school, did you picture your lives together the way things are now?
Yes, very similar to our current lives. We dated for 4 years after high school but we both knew well before that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. We stayed in the Omaha area but always wanted to get back to the Elkhorn school district before our children started high school.
Do you have any relationship advice?
Prioritize and invest in your relationship with your spouse over your kid’s activities. Time spent with your kids is short compared to the lifetime you will spend with your spouse.
2025 Hall of Fame Nomination Form
Hall of Fame 2025 Nomination Forms Now Available!
Help us honor the community members, educators, alumni, and/or businesses that have made significant and positive contributions to Elkhorn students, schools, and the Elkhorn community by submitting a Hall of Fame nomination(s) by May 30th, 2025.
You can submit one nomination at a time via our online Google Form. *Please note that we will only accept one nomination per Google Form submission. If you would like to make multiple nominations, you will need to submit one form for each nomination.
Complete the Hall of Fame Nomination Google Form
If you wish to mail in your nomination form(s), you can download the form here. *Please note that you must fill out a separate form for each nomination you submit.
Download the printable 2025 Hall of Fame Nomination Form
You can view a comprehensive list of past Hall of Fame honorees here.
Download the list of past Hall of Fame honorees
Thank you for supporting Elkhorn Public Schools! Our 31st Annual Hall of Fame Ceremony and Reception will be held on November 6th, 2025. Additional details to follow.
If you have questions, please give us a call at (402) 289.1727 or email us at foundation@elkhornfoundation.org.
NEW ACHIEVE Career & Technical Education (CTE) Scholarship
A new scholarship pathway that parallels the successful ACHIEVE Advanced Placement (AP) Scholarship
Nebraska is no different than many other states who are facing employee shortages, especially in the skilled & technical trades. School administrators across the state are taking notice of these shortages and coming up with different solutions. The Elkhorn Public Schools and the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation decided to incentivize exploring more Career & Technical Education (CTE) and career exploration opportunities by creating the new ACHIEVE Career & Technical Education (CTE) Scholarship.
In 2009, the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation teamed up with the Elkhorn Public School District and launched the ACHIEVE Program. The goal was to recognize and award students who challenged themselves by taking numerous advanced placement classes, participating in school extracurricular activities, and volunteering in their community. The program was unique in that all students who met the requirements would be awarded a scholarship.
The ACHIEVE Scholarship Program has been extremely successful. In 2009, there were 19 recipients, and the number has steadily grown from 80 in 2015 to averaging over 200 in recent years. The dollar commitment from the Foundation funding this program has also grown from $40,000 in 2014 to averaging $240,000/year.
Dr. Bary Habrock, EPS Superintendent, saw the impact of the Foundation’s ACHIEVE Scholarship Program on student achievement and wanted to replicate it to highlight careers. This parallel pathway rewards students who take a progression of CTE courses and complete a multitude of career exploration experiences with the goal of incentivizing more students to pursue a skilled & technical trade as a career. In an ambitious effort, they soft-launched the scholarship during the 2023-2024 school year. Administrators worked with their high school counseling teams to develop an application to identify seniors who were eligible to receive an ACHIEVE CTE Scholarship.
The results from the Class of 2024 were promising. Last April, the Foundation recognized 32 ACHIEVE CTE Scholarship recipients at its annual Scholarship Recognition Ceremonies! For the Class of 2025, the applications have been incorporated into the Foundation’s online scholarship platform, and we expect the number of recipients to steadily grow like the original pathway, which has been renamed the ACHIEVE Advanced Placement (AP) Scholarship. EPS administrators and the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation board members are asking Nebraska businesses and Elkhorn families to consider donating to the ACHIEVE Scholarship Program to ensure the sustainability of the program for future generations of Elkhorn students!
Class of 2024 ACHIEVE CTE Recipients
Partnership & Alignment Committee (PAC)
2024 PAC Projects:
The Foundation’s Partnership & Alignment Committee (PAC) reviews, approves, and funds projects that align with the Elkhorn Public School District Strategic Plan and Goals.
Helper Helper App
The Elkhorn Public Schools does a great job incentivizing students to participate in school activities, strive for high academic achievement, and volunteer in the community through the Foundation-funded ACHIEVE Scholarship Program. To assist students with tracking their volunteer hours, PAC provided funding for the Helper Helper app. Currently, Helper Helper is being piloted by the freshmen classes at the high schools with the goal of expanding it to more students next year.
Meg Starman, ENHS Counselor, describes Helper Helper as a “platform that allows students to track and verify their service hours throughout high school.” Another benefit according to Megan Scobie, EHS Counselor, is that through this platform “they have an app at their fingertips to track their hours instead of the old paper copy that they were expected to keep track of for 4 years.” Additionally, she is “excited to see the response from students on the ease of use and effectiveness.”
Helper Helper has the additional functionality to browse volunteer opportunities. In the future, Jess Hoskins and her fellow ESHS Counselors “hope to have service opportunities posted on the app for students to attend (blood drives, school clean ups, etc.).”
Meg said, “It is very generous of the Foundation to help with the funding, and we are hopeful that the students love the service.”
Social Media Speaker
In alignment with the district-wide goal to focus on mental health, the Elkhorn Public Schools with the financial support of the Foundation welcomed Dr. Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University, in the spring for her presentation: “Parenting and Guiding the Smartphone Generation.” Following her presentation, there was a panel discussion composed of Dr. Twenge, Creighton Volleyball coach and EPS parent Kirsten Bernthal Booth, ENHS Counselor Martha Dowd, and several EPS students.
Dr. Twenge’s presentation highlighted the similarities and differences between the various generations. In an effort to guide parents of teens, she encouraged parents to prioritize sleep, enforce rules that keep kids safe, and reframe the smartphone, which means: “The smartphone needs to be a tool we use, not a tool that uses us.”
Cohort Pathways Program
The Cohort Pathways Program is an opportunity for Elkhorn Public Schools’ teachers to begin pursuing their master’s degrees through a cohort coordinated by the Elkhorn Public Schools, the Foundation, and the University of Nebraska Omaha. The cohort features three courses taught by EPS administrators and is taken with fellow EPS educators. The second cohort started during summer 2024 and has 10 participants. After completing the three courses, participants can complete their UNO master’s degree at their own pace. Due to the rising cost of higher education, the benefit of this program is that the Foundation pays for the participants’ tuition up front, with a stipulation that it will be paid back upon completion of the coursework, which is offset by the participants’ coinciding pay increase earned by completing those three courses.
District-Wide Safety Initiatives
The Elkhorn Public Schools is dedicated to keeping our students and staff safe. Steps the district has taken to increase safety include hiring a Director of Safety & Security, adding doors to previously open concept school buildings, and more. Additionally, the district partnered with PAC to purchase safety-alert software that will be used district wide.
West Point Educator Visit
EPSF’s Genice Chochon had the opportunity in April 2024 to attend an educator visit at West Point! Genice reflects on her time at West Point.
Last year I was honored to be nominated by Commander Russell Quimby, American Legion Post 211 Scholarship, for a free visit to West Point in the spring. Imagine my surprise on March 1st when I received an email from the United States Military Academy inviting me for their Spring “Educator Visit” in early April!
A few days before I left on my trip, I attended the Chuck Hagel Forum in Global Leadership at University Nebraska Omaha (UNO). The theme was “The Role of U.S. Leadership in a Changing World”. The guest speaker was the 82nd U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder Jr., who worked closely with Senator Hagel when he was Secretary of Defense in President Obama’s cabinet. This moderated discussion was a great precursor to my trip to West Point.
Filled with gratitude and excitement, I began my journey boarding an early morning flight on April 7th from Omaha to New Jersey, meeting up with a group of educators from across the country for the 50-mile bus ride to the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York.
Our group of 45 stayed at The Thayer Hotel, a beautiful historic building on a river just outside the gate to the academy. The grounds of West Point are expansive and beautiful; built on the bank of the Hudson River. Overlooking the campus sits a large gothic stone church with a pipe organ and beautiful stained-glass windows. We toured Michie Stadium and wandered through the stadium’s Hall of Fame.
We started our whirlwind tour with a briefing on campus at the Jefferson Hall Library learning about the school’s history, their admission process, course offerings (majors & minors), and the life of a cadet at West Point. We watched 4,400 cadets descending from buildings in response to a bugle call and lining up in formation with their company before swarming into the massive mess hall for lunch. Following lunch, we observed an upper-level leadership class that had 12 students. I was incredibly impressed by the small class size, and the way the instructor challenged and interacted with his students in an engaging and thought-provoking manner.
On our last night, we attended a formal dinner where we met current cadets and listened to a speech by Major General Lori Robinson, Commandant of the U.S. Corps of Cadets. Major Robinson’s 1994 graduation from West Point and army career were very impressive, but I was most struck by how she got to West Point. As a high school student, Lori noticed a glossy brochure in her school’s counseling center. She asked her counselor about West Point, and her counselor responded, “Students from our school don’t go to West Point.” She disregarded the counselor’s comment and was the first student from her school to attend the U.S. Military Academy! In her closing remarks she requested that we make sure that students know that they too can attend the U.S. Military Academy in West Point.
Between my time at West Point and attending the Chuck Hagel Forum, I realized how important it is for the United States to have smart, strong leaders who have integrity, especially men and women in leadership positions in our armed forces. We need future leaders who can inspire others to protect our country and its citizens, who are strategic and can respond to stressful situations calmly and effectively. That is exactly what an education at West Point accomplishes. The school fosters incredible leaders who act as the ultimate demonstration of “We before Me” as they protect our country and free society.
While I was at West Point, I had the privilege to meet Cadet Emilio Haynes. He is from Omaha, Nebraska and attended Omaha Central High School. Emilio told me his story of how he got to West Point and his journey at the academy. Afterwards, based on what I had observed from my time at West Point, I said to him, “I think to go to West Point you have a big ‘why.’” He responded, “You don’t have to have your ‘why’ to come here. You have to find your ‘why’ when you are here.”
Before visiting West Point, my assumption was that students choosing to attend a military academy somehow had a tie to the military. As I spoke to cadets about their journey becoming a West Point cadet, I learned that my assumption was incorrect. Most of the cadets and officers that I spoke to were high school athletes who were approached with an opportunity to attend a world class educational institution for free. I don’t think all of them knew what challenges they would experience during their journey, but all of them found their “why.” The application process is rigorous, and the college experience is unique, but for those students who have the desire to become a leader with integrity, it’s an amazing opportunity.
Alumni Spotlight: Carla (Cloninger) Ketner
Q&A with 1984 EHS grad on being a Presidential Scholar, former bookstore owner, and author
Interview Conducted By Ann Huddleston, Alumni Relations
In 1984, Carla (Cloninger) Ketner, EHS class of 1984, became Elkhorn’s first and only Presidential Scholar Award winner. Carla attended Nebraska Wesleyan University for undergrad and then received her Master’s degree in Early Education from UNO and Ph.D. from UNL. Afterwards, she taught elementary students and then a college-level children’s literature course before deciding to stay at home with her two sons. However, that didn’t last long. From 2004 to 2024, she owned Chapters Books & Gifts in Seward, Nebraska. Her sweet dog, Fabio, greeted and provided a special charm to customers. Carla recently wrote the book Ted Kooser: More Than a Local Wonder about the former U.S. Poet Laureate. Ted lives near Seward and visited her bookstore where they connected and became friends. The book won a 2024 Nebraska Book Award in October. Carla recently sold Chapters Books & Gifts to a former high school English teacher. She is now transitioning to other projects such as promoting her children’s book through school and library visits and possibly writing more books.
Q: When did you become interested in books?
A: I’ve been a reader and book lover for as long as I can remember. Some of my favorite books as a child were books passed down from my mother. As a child, I loved them mostly because they were good stories. I value them now as a connection to my mother’s childhood, though I am reluctant to re-read my favorites, afraid they might not stand the test of time!
Now, my house is filled with books, but we didn’t own a lot of books when I was a child. Because we didn’t have large collections of books at home, we went to the library often. I still remember strolling through the bookshelves, choosing picture books to take home and read together. When I was a little older, I was allowed to walk or ride my bike to the library in Elkhorn—the old library, which was a room in the same building as the police station, if I remember correctly—with a friend or my sister. We could choose four books to check out at a time. I think I read nearly every book in that library, including Harlequin romances, V C Andrews books, and others that weren’t necessarily written for children. Taking a children’s literature course at Nebraska Wesleyan University as an undergraduate rekindled my love of children’s books, and as a parent, teacher, bookseller, and writer, I’ve been savoring them ever since. I also read and enjoy an occasional book that was written for adults.
Q: What are some memorable moments while receiving the Presidential Scholar Award?
A: It was an honor to be the first student from Elkhorn recognized as a Presidential Scholar. When I completed the application, I didn’t expect to be chosen. I still remember receiving the letter in the mail, ripping it open right there at the mailbox, and feeling thrilled that I’d been chosen. The response from my classmates was very gratifying when it was announced at graduation.
Before 2020 changed so many things, Presidential Scholars from all over the country spent a “recognition week” in Washington D.C. together, attending seminars, meeting with politicians, sightseeing, and getting to know one another. Attending the program for the Scholars in the Arts at the Kennedy Center was a highlight of that week. Recognition week was a fantastic experience, and I still keep in touch with other Scholars I met that week. I also attended the 50th anniversary celebration of the Presidential Scholars program and was a member of the board of the Presidential Scholars Academy.
“The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by executive order of the President, to recognize and honor some of our nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors. In 1979, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts. In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields. Each year, up to 161 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students.”
Department of Education
Q: What are some of your best high school memories?
A: I have fond memories of marching band and pep band and having fun at football and basketball games. I was on the yearbook staff and remember learning to develop film in the dark room, typing our stories on electric typewriters, and laying out pages on the light table. I also remember a group of us doing Jane Fonda’s exercise videos after school in an empty classroom.
Q: Did you have a teacher that inspired you?
A: Of course — Ms. McCoy! Ms. McCoy even came to my book signing at the Bookworm in Omaha last winter. I had many excellent teachers at Elkhorn High School — Ms. McCoy, Mr. Bacus, Ms. Bock, Mr. Baker to name a few, all of whom inspired me in one way or another. I moved to Elkhorn in 5th grade, and I remember our teacher (Mrs. Olsen, I think) reading aloud to us The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and other books. I looked forward to that part of the day, though at the time I didn’t realize how valuable reading aloud to kids is. I just knew I loved listening to the stories she read us. She also had us write our own stories throughout that year. As I look back on that, I realize that developing our reading and writing skills must have been priorities for her.
Q: What is the subject of your PhD?
A: I have a BS in Elementary Education, MA in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on Early Education, and a PhD. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on literacy development. My dissertation was a study of my son’s early reading, writing, listening, and speaking development.
Q: How did you end up in Seward?
A: My husband is a family physician. When he was finishing his residency and looking for a place to work, we wanted to stay in a smaller community near a relatively big city. I was from Elkhorn, and my husband from Wahoo, so eastern Nebraska was appealing. We visited Seward and really liked the feel of the community and the people we met. The medical community was a good fit for him, and we’ve been here ever since.
Q: Is the size of Seward similar to what Elkhorn was when you were growing up?
A: I think Seward is somewhat bigger than Elkhorn was. In the 1970s and 1980s, I think Elkhorn’s population was about 2,500. Seward has a population of about 8,000 now, though my graduating class from Elkhorn High School was 132, just about the same as the classes at Seward High are now. The Seward community feels a lot like Elkhorn did back then — we have a local grocery store, small downtown, a bowling alley, swimming pool, one high school. One difference is that Seward has a movie theater, the Rivoli, which is one of my favorite places in town, and Elkhorn didn’t. We also have a bookstore.
Q: Walk us through day-to-day life owning a bookstore.
A: There is no typical day for a small business owner! I did a little bit of everything. Some days, I spent all day placing orders with vendors. Other days I concentrated on marketing, fulfilling online orders, getting ready for school book fairs, hosting story time with Miss Nebraska or a construction worker or a giant costumed cat character named Pete, paying bills and taxes, hiring or training a new staff member or rearranging displays in the store. Most days involved unpacking and shelving merchandise. All of that had to fit into the spaces between customers, because every day is about customer service, helping our customers fill whatever need had brought them to the store that day. When they were little, my kids thought I had the best job in the world because I got to read all day. Actually, I was surrounded by books all day with very little time to read them.
Q: How long did it take you to write your book and then publish it?
The idea for the book took root in 2019, when my son suggested that I write a book about Ted Kooser, who had become a friend of the family and a supporter of my bookstore. I spent about two years writing and revising and receiving feedback on the text. In the summer of 2021, I sent the manuscript to a few publishers I thought might be interested in a biography of a Nebraska poet. About six months later, I met with Tom Swanson, an editor at University of Nebraska Press. He was interested in publishing the book, though the Press doesn’t ordinarily publish children’s picture books, but had to work out the logistics. After several more months, we worked out a contract, found an illustrator, and moved forward with the project. By late 2022, the illustrations were done and the designers were working on putting the book together. That was completed in spring 2023, and the book came back from the printers in time for release on November 1, 2023. The book just celebrated its first birthday by winning a 2024 Nebraska Book Award in October. It also won a MIPA Midwest Book Award and a Paterson Prize for Books for Young People.
Q: Do you have any advice for young students now?
Middle school and high school are hard, emotionally, socially and in other ways. They may not actually be the best days of your life, as kids are told they should be. Hang in there, and you’ll find your true friends and your purpose in life. Some of those friends will be your high school friends (shout out to mine!), but you’ll find your people in other spaces as well. Don’t be afraid to be yourself, to stand out from the crowd, to do what you’re passionate about. Don’t be afraid of failure. Though it’s never too late, don’t wait until you’re middle aged to do what you’ve always wanted to do.
Learn more about Carla on her website!
Retired EPS Teachers Reflect
Elkhorn Public Schools teachers and staff have always helped to make EPS great. They have also seen the most change during their tenure in the district. We asked attendees of the annual Retired Teachers’ Luncheon and other retired teachers to reflect on what has stayed the same in the district and what has changed.
What has stayed the same since you started teaching in Elkhorn?
What changed in the district during your time teaching and since retiring?
Watch the slideshow or scroll below to see the reflections!
If you are a retired teacher and would like provide a response/photo for the slideshow, please email our alumni team at alumni@elkhornfoundation.org!
Alumni Spotlight: Morgan Holen
Written By Ann Huddleston, Alumni Relations
It’s not often a young person, or rather anyone, is so incredibly well spoken. Morgan Holen, ESHS Class of 2016, grew up in a family where they might get questioned about current events at the dinner table and be expected to share their thoughts. This resulted in being aware of the happenings around the world and the knowledge it takes to be able to communicate clearly, on the spot. Why? Morgan’s mom was Miss Nebraska 1988 and an active volunteer in the organization. Morgan and her sister grew up going to the events, observed behind the scenes, and Morgan eventually decided to compete. In 2014, she competed and won Miss Nebraska Teen. She also went on to Miss Omaha and then to compete in the Miss Nebraska pageant where she was crowned, then served as Miss Nebraska in 2021. Those dinner conversations helped train her to constantly stay informed and to be able to think on the spot with well thought-out answers.
Morgan graduated from Elkhorn South High School in 2016 where she participated on the dance team, varsity show choir, and student council. During that time, the dance team wasn’t competing on a national level yet. ESHS now has competitive dance and Morgan even grew up dancing at Kitty Lee with one of the current ESHS dance coaches Amanda Pyle! Some memorable teachers who stood out to her during her time at Elkhorn were her 4th grade Spring Ridge teacher, Miss Connell, who she saw while attending the Spring Ridge Carnival during her time as Miss Nebraska. Mr. Adam Lambert (not to be confused with the singer), the ESHS show choir director at the time, was also very pivotal in her education. He encouraged his show choir students to be involved in multiple interests rather than focus all of their attention on one activity. Because of this, the show choir had students of all backgrounds participating.
During her time as Miss Nebraska, Morgan toured the state and visited Washington, D.C., many times. She traveled about 30,000 miles over the course of the year! Mr. Lambert, her former ESHS show choir director, had since moved to Imperial, where he became the Superintendent of the district. Morgan visited Imperial, where she presented to the Chase County School District about the importance of mentorship and becoming a mentor, in this case, the mentorship program is with the TeamMates organization. The small town of Bertrand is another notable visit for Morgan. Her dad grew up there, and during the county fair, she was able to be in the parade, enjoy the energy of the town, see family members, and speak in many classrooms. As for her time in DC, Morgan was able to lay a wreath at The tomb of The Unknown Soldier and go under the bunker for a behind the scenes look. For her, it was meaningful being there and being able to honor all of the individuals that had served in the military and were buried there.
Morgan attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and while there, in addition to spending a year as Miss Nebraska, she participated in the Husker Dance Team, the Scarlets. Being a Scarlet meant being involved in every aspect of every game from football to softball, basketball to baseball. They started the day weightlifting in the mornings, practicing later in the day and maybe performing at a game later. On some days, they’d represent the athletic department in the community at locations such as nursing homes or fundraising events. Of course, the Husker football game day tunnel walk sticks out in her memory with some unforgettable moments.
While at UNL, Morgan continued mentoring students with TeamMates and spoke often about her experience at events for Miss Omaha/Miss Nebraska. Covid came into the picture during her senior year of college, so she used that time and leftover money from Miss Omaha to invest in becoming a certified Gallup Strengths Coach. She was able to use that skill to help other Miss America contestants learn their strengths. Morgan traveled across the country volunteering at a national level speaking with young women at different chapters of her sorority about the importance of their strengths and how to leverage them.
Currently, Morgan is a director of a local nonprofit organization called Women Investing in Nebraska (WIN), part of the University of Nebraska Foundation. In 2022, a week after she handed her crown to the next Miss Nebraska, she began working with this group of women to help award grants to the University of Nebraska system (Kearney, Lincoln, Omaha, UNMC) and other Nebraska nonprofit projects. The group has flourished with more than 300 women across the state and continues to grow. The winners of these grants span the whole state, not limited to larger metropolitan areas like Lincoln and Omaha. Morgan is still mentoring for TeamMates and traveling for her sorority, Chi Omega, on a leadership committee that travels the country giving workshops to collegiate students. In her spare time, Morgan enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling and dancing and choreography. Morgan recently became engaged to be married.
Morgan regards her time in Elkhorn with fondness. She thinks of it as a community that bands together in tough times. Elkhorn encourages an environment where you strive for excellence and being involved. In fact, Morgan was on the University of Nebraska at Lincoln’s homecoming court with three other Elkhorn alumni. Four out of twenty were from Elkhorn, which is telling of the culture. She advises current students to invest back in the community and ask to be involved with the things they love. She advises, “Find something you love and spend a lot of time there. To lead a lot of different people you’ve got to be around different types of people and make them your community.”
