Crime solving on the agenda for the annual Academy of Excellence

Almost 50 academically gifted, middle-school students and their parents will gather on Concordia University, Nebraska’s campus for the annual Academy for Excellence, Friday, April 8.  A day-long crime-solving experience awaits the students.

The students, each nominated by a teacher or principal, were selected from private and parochial schools in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota.

Students will participate in classes introducing them to concepts in profiling, bone identification and geographic information systems and applications. After the classes, they will travel to clue sites to collect evidence. In the afternoon as they work to unravel clues, they will complete forensic lab experiences in chemical identification, measurement and statistics and coding.

Kristy Plander, assistant professor of business administration and academy team member, feels the day is not only an academic experience but also a social one.

“The Academy for Excellence offers middle school students the opportunity to meet other academically gifted students from around the region,” Plander explained.  “The students have a great time during a day focused specifically on their gifts and talents, and they learn during the process.”

The day will conclude with reports from the student teams, a celebration banquet and the presentation of Academy for Excellence medallions to the students.

Participating students

Colorado 

Sophia Helmkamp, Parker, Colo., Trinity Lutheran, Franktown, Colo.

Max Hostetter, Denver, Colo., St. John's Lutheran School, Denver, Colo.

Rachel Rost, Loveland, Colo., Immanuel Lutheran School, Loveland, Colo

Iowa

Emma Miles, Fort Dodge, Iowa, St. Paul Lutheran, Fort Dodge, Iowa

Matthew Voss, Atkins, Iowa, Central Lutheran School, Newhall, Iowa

Kansas

Hanna Bott, Palmer, Kan., Linn Lutheran School Association, Linn, Kan.

Jessie Mallett, Cheney, Kan., St. Paul's Lutheran School, Cheney, Kan.

Missouri

Lauren Baalman, Cole Camp, Mo., Lutheran School Association, Cole Camp, Mo.

Cole Duenckel, Jefferson City, Mo., Immanuel Lutheran School, Jefferson City, Mo.

Jenna Fackler, Florissant, Mo., Grace Chapel Lutheran School, St. Louis, Mo.

Kylie Limback, Concordia, Mo., Trinity Lutheran, Alma, Mo.

Kelly Rakow, Lohman, Mo., Trinity Lutheran School, Jefferson City, Mo.

Emma Sobetski, Gower, Mo., Cathedral School & ECC, St. Joseph, Mo.

Erin Warner, La Monte, Mo., St. Paul's Lutheran, Sedalia, Mo.

Amanda Wilson, Maryland Heights, Mo., Immanuel Lutheran, Olivette, Mo.

Nebraska

Christian Bartling, North Platte, Neb., Our Redeemer Lutheran School, North Platte, Neb.

Nathali Beltran, Lincoln, Neb., Blessed Sacrament School, Lincoln, Neb.

Alexa, Bruick, Seward, Neb., St. John Lutheran School, Seward, Neb.

Kaitlyn Carraher, Primrose, Neb., Spalding Academy, Spalding, Neb.

Jordan Case, Lincoln, Neb., Parkview Christian School, Lincoln, Neb.

Dean Fleer, Pierce, Neb., Zion Lutheran, Pierce, Neb.

Delaney Freese, Omaha, Neb., St. Pius X / St. Leo School, ,

Mia Hermanson, Lincoln, Neb., Lincoln Lutheran Middle/High School, Lincoln, Neb.

Benjamin Jahnke, Bancroft, Neb., St. Paul Lutheran, West Point, Neb.

Naomi Kirkvold, Omaha, Neb., St. Cecilia Cathedral School, Omaha, Neb.

Christian Leichty, Deshler, Neb., Deshler Lutheran School, Deshler, Neb.

James Lohaus, Bellevue, Neb., St. Matthew the Evangelist Catholic School, Bellevue, Neb.

Jakob Mach, Omaha, Neb., Sts. Peter & Paul School, ,

Austin Maurer, Columbus, Neb., St. John's Lutheran School, Columbus, Neb.

Michelle Messbarger, Kearney, Neb., Kearney Catholic HS, Kearney, Neb.

Sarah Meyer, Norfolk, Neb., Christ Lutheran School, Norfolk, Neb.

Austin Mills, Madison, Neb., Trinity Lutheran School, Madison, Neb.

Morgan Payne, Utica, Neb., Our Redeemer Lutheran School, Staplehurst, Neb.

Allison Pokorny, Bellwood, Neb., Aquinas Middle School, David City, Neb.

Mackenzie Puckett, Grand Island, Neb., Trinity Lutheran, Grand Island, Neb.

Seth Schmacher, Petersburg, Neb., Pope John XXIII Central Catholic, Elgin, Neb.

Hannah Sealock, Columbus, Neb., Immanuel Lutheran School, Columbus, Neb.

Courtney Sheibal, Bellevue, Neb., St. Bernadette School, Omaha, Neb.

Tessa Steinkraus, Osmond, Neb., Zion Lutheran School, Plainview, Neb.

Isaac Sullivan , Albion, Neb., St. Michael's School, Albion, Neb.

Cassie Sunblade, Greenwood, Neb., Faith Lutheran School, Lincoln, Neb.

Caleb Utter, Utica, Neb., St. Paul Lutheran, Utica, Neb.

Kirsten Wagner, York, Neb., Emmanuel-Faith Lutheran School, York, Neb.

Abby Westerman, Battle Creek, Neb., St. John, Battle Creek, Neb.

Jacquelyn Wright, Lincoln, Neb., St. Peter, Lincoln, Neb.

Bridget DeKam, Sioux Falls, S.D., Sioux Falls Lutheran School, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Chris Warneke, Hastings, Neb., Zion Lutheran, Hastings, Neb.