North Platte, Neb. – NebraskaLand Bank has awarded $14,500 in scholarships to 52 exceptional graduates of the NebraskaLand University Financial Literacy Scholarship Program. The awards ceremony held Monday, April 27, 2026, celebrated the students’ achievements and commitment to financial literacy.
The graduates successfully completed a six-course curriculum designed to build essential money management skills. In addition, they participated in the NebraskaLand University Essay Contest. During the ceremony, Kelly Lammers, Director of the Nebraska Department of Banking, presented commemorative coins to the top three essay winners. These coins symbolize the students’ hard work, determination, and commitment to mastering financial literacy core value championed by NebraskaLand Bank.
Essay Contest Winners:
- 1st Place: Aidan Long, $1,000
- 2nd Place: Ava Welch, $750
- 3rd Place: Daria Zheng, $500
Each of the remaining 49 graduates received a $250 scholarship for their participation and successful completion of the program, further demonstrating NebraskaLand Bank’s commitment to investing in the future of these young individuals.
Additional scholarship recipients:
Emilee Allen, Colten Altig, Kason Baker, Lindsay Blomstedt, Lauren Bowers, Kenna Bringewatt, Piper Caldwell, Naomi Dekleva, Clara Denny, Emilio Dimas, Paige Dodson, Addison Frederick, Lillian Fuchser, Trey Furmanski, Mason Giebler, Rose Green, Allison Guthrie, Maleighya Harmon, MaKenna Johnson, Ean Julius, Rebecca Keneipp, Nicholas Krondak, JT Lantis, Kaylee Lundgreen, Ryleigh Melvin, Savannah Miles, Isabella Mitchell, Jamie Murtaugh, Aashi Naidoo, Maggie Nichols, Lilliana Otte, Jaydon Parker, Presley Pettera, Dimitri Pettit, Quintin Pinkerton, Alexis Read, Logan Robirds, Jackson Saner, Isabelle Scholz, Landon Shepherd, Makynzi Smith, Rameja Somers-Dehaney, Asher Strecker, Haydn Stretesky, Cooper Swanson, Sutton Tickle, Natalia Toribio, and Danyale Zheng.
Senator Mike Jacobson, President and CEO of NebraskaLand Bank, congratulated the students on their determination, saying, “We commend each student who has put forth great effort to include this program in their already busy schedules. We are especially proud of the students at NebraskaLand University for their dedication to enhancing their financial skills. We can confidently say they’ve acquired valuable skills and established a solid foundation to become astute financial leaders in both their personal and professional lives. We look forward to watching them develop, grow, and lead. Congratulations, NLU Class of 2026!”
NebraskaLand University is an in-depth program covering vital financial topics, including budgeting, savings, credit, loans, wealth building, and identity theft protection. Senior and Executive Officers from NebraskaLand Bank lead the courses, blending traditional financial knowledge with practical, real-world applications to prepare students for future success.
Since its inception during the 2014-15 school year, NebraskaLand University has awarded $124,250 in scholarships, reflecting its enduring commitment to empowering young learners. This initiative continues to make a meaningful impact by equipping students with the financial tools they need to thrive and by fostering a culture of lifelong learning within the community.
See chart below for list of winners and their high schools:
| Haydn | Stretesky | Arnold High School |
| JT | Lantis | Hershey High School |
| Jaydon | Parker | Hershey High School |
| Kenna | Bringewatt | Hershey High School |
| Lillian | Fuchser | Hershey High School |
| Lindsay | Blomstedt | Hershey High School |
| Clara | Denny | Hershey High School |
| Addison | Frederick | Hershey High School |
| MaKenna | Johnson | Hershey High School |
| Ryleigh | Melvin | Hershey High School |
| Quintin | Pinkerton | Hershey High School |
| Alexis | Read | Hershey High School |
| Natalia | Toribio | Hershey High School |
| Piper | Caldwell | Home School |
| Colten | Altig | North Platte High School |
| Lauren | Bowers | North Platte High School |
| Naomi | Dekleva | North Platte High School |
| Allison | Faye Guthrie | North Platte High School |
| Maleighya | Harmon | North Platte High School |
| Ean | Julius | North Platte High School |
| Rebecca | Keneipp | North Platte High School |
| Kaylee | Lundgreen | North Platte High School |
| Isabella | Mitchell | North Platte High School |
| Caleb | Odell | North Platte High School |
| Presley | Pettera | North Platte High School |
| Logan | Robirds | North Platte High School |
| Makynzi | Smith | North Platte High School |
| Asher | Strecker | North Platte High School |
| Emilee | Allen | North Platte High School |
| Kason | Baker | St Patrick’s High School |
| Emilio | Dimas | St Patrick’s High School |
| Paige | Dodson | St Patrick’s High School |
| Trey | Furmanski | St Patrick’s High School |
| Mason | Giebler | St Patrick’s High School |
| Rose E | Green | St Patrick’s High School |
| Nicholas | Krondak | St Patrick’s High School |
| Aidan | Long | St Patrick’s High School |
| Savannah | Miles | St Patrick’s High School |
| Jamie | Murtaugh | St Patrick’s High School |
| Aashi | Naidoo | St Patrick’s High School |
| Maggie | Nichols | St Patrick’s High School |
| Dimitri | Pettit | St Patrick’s High School |
| Isabelle | Scholz | St Patrick’s High School |
| Rameja | Somers-Dehaney | St Patrick’s High School |
| Cooper | Swanson | St Patrick’s High School |
| Sutton | Tickle | St Patrick’s High School |
| Ava | Welch | St Patrick’s High School |
| Danyale | Zheng | St Patrick’s High School |
| Daria | Zheng | St Patrick’s High School |
| Landon | Shepherd | St Patrick’s High School |
| Lilliana | Otte | St Patrick’s High School |
| Jackson | Saner | Sutherland Public Schools |
