Elks name nursing scholarship winners

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks have selected the winners of the $500 nursing scholarship for the 2012-13 academic year.

Winners are:

Megan Wentz is a student at Decatur Community High School, and the daughter of Darren and Lois Wentz of Clayton, Kansas.

She is a member of the FFA, Spanish Club, Drama Club, KAYS, TACT, the National Honor Society and her church youth group. She also is a cheerleader and participated in the Professional Learning Experience by volunteering at a hospital. Wentz plans to attend Colby Community College.

Laramey Lewis is a student at Hitchcock County Schools, and is the daughter of Roger and Lisa Lewis of Trenton.

She has taken several honors classes and has amassed an impressive collection of academic honors including math awards, social studies awards, and has been named on the honor roll with distinction. She participated in Inter-High Days, Academic All-Star Basketball, Academic All-State Volleyball, Academic All-State Track and Cornhusker Girls State. She also was named the McCook National Bank Student of the Month in 2010. She lettered in volleyball, basketball and track and received honorable mention honors from both the Lincoln Journal Star and the Omaha World Herald in 2008-09. That same year, she was the Gazette-land area basketball player. She continued to compete and continued to accumulate sports honors state-wide. She served as captain of the volleyball team 2008-2011 and captain of the basketball team in 2010-11.

She served as class president from 2008-09 and 2011-12; in 2009-10 and 2010-11, she was class vice president. She was vice president of the student council in 2011-12; and vice president of the National Honor Society that same year. She participated in 4-H, the Letter Club, Summer Bible School and in her church youth group.

Lewis displayed her community involvement by mowing the cemetery for six years, helping with the lake clean-up and the community clean-up projects for four years and read to nursing home residents for two years. She collected money for UNICEF, Make a Wish, Susan G. Komen Foundation, and Muscular Dystrophy. She worked on the Lions Club highway trash pickup and helped sponsor a benefit soup supper. She also sponsored a seat belt check and a Red Cross blood drive.

She was involved in the FBLA, student council, National Honors Society, Veterans Day program, and the Blue Ribbon ceremony at school.

She also provided childcare through the summer months from 2006-11.

Samuel Osterman is a student at Southwest High School and is the son of Jeff and Kathy Osterman.

He is active in football, wrestling, golf, and baseball. He is a member of FFA, participates in student council and speech. Osterman also is an active member of 4-H and CYO.

Michaela Martin is a student at Southern Valley High School and the daughter of Michael and Rene Martin of Stamford.