• May 12, 2014
• Werner Park
• Papillion, NE

Eleven Nebraska seventh and eighth graders were recognized Sunday at Werner Park in Papillion for their winning entries in the Nebraska Educational Savings Plan Trust (NEST) 2014 writing contest, “Why I Want to Go to College.”

The Nebraska winners were recognized before the start of the Omaha Storm Chasers game with the New Orleans Zephyrs in a break in what was a day of significant storm damage across Nebraska. Nebraska State Treasurer Don Stenberg, trustee of the Nebraska Educational Savings Trust, shook the winners’ hands at home plate and presented each with a certificate.

A total of 1,044 entries were received in the 12th annual writing contest sponsored by NEST and the Storm Chasers. Initial judging was done by students and faculty in the College of Education at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and final selections were made by Treasurer Stenberg. NEST college savings account contributions totaling $15,000 were awarded to winners in this year’s contest.

“Congratulations to this year’s winners, and thank you to all the seventh and eighth graders who wrote about their dreams for higher education in the NEST writing contest. I enjoyed reading the entries, and I was impressed with the quality of the writing and the young people’s aspirations for their futures,” Treasurer Stenberg said.

First-, second-, and third-place winners were selected from each of Nebraska’s three U.S. Congressional districts and from outside Nebraska. First-place winners received $2,000 each toward a NEST college savings plan; second-place winners received $1,000 each toward a NEST savings account, and third-place winners received $500 each toward a college savings account.

The 2014 winners are as follows:

1st Congressional District - Nebraska

First:	Bethany Black	Schuyler Middle School	Schuyler, NE
Second:	Breanna Smith	Logan View Public School	Hooper, NE
Third (tie):	Elizabeth Zander	Pound Middle School	Lincoln, NE
Third (tie):	Guadalupe Rodriguez	Schuyler Middle School	Schuyler, NE

2nd Congressional District - Nebraska

First:	Kayla Martin	Gretna Middle School	Gretna, NE
Second:	Paige Miller	Gretna Middle School	Gretna, NE
Third (tie):	Dawson Beutler	Russell Middle School	Omaha, NE
Third (tie):	Mitchell Feagins	Peter Kiewit Middle School	Omaha, NE

3rd Congressional District - Nebraska

First:	Dominic Naughtin	Sutherland Public School	Sutherland, NE
Second:	Sophia Harder	Randolph Public School	Belden, NE
Third:	Brandy Friedrichsen	Centura Public School	Boelus, NE

Out-of-State

First:	Amy Burke	Moore Middle School	Arvada, CO
Second:	Gina Kim	Field Middle School	Glenview, IL
Third:	Anne Moellers	Christ the King Catholic School	Little Rock, AR

Details about next year’s essay contest will be available on the State Treasurer’s website at www.treasurer.org/cs/ and through local schools in February 2015.