Written By: Leslie Keane

Leadership Kearney Class 33 spent the December session exploring different educational entities in the Kearney community. The day began with a panel discussion at the UNK Regional Engagement Center. The panel, comprised of Michael Christen, Dr. Julie Shaffer, and Jane Sheldon, discussed some of the main priorities at UNK, as well some of the goals of the expansion at UNK’s University Village. They noted the University’s commitment to providing programs that will support business, education, and healthcare in rural communities.
After a tour of the Regional Engagement Center, the group headed to the Plambek Early Education Center. There, Chelsey Bartling explained some of the innovative techniques she and her staff employ to provide a safe and nurturing environment for their kids. She also noted the ways the Plambek center partners with UNK to provide students with on-the-job experience, as well as the way the center coordinates their schedule with the University’s schedule to help simplify childcare for the staff and faculty.
Next, it was time for lunch at Cope Stadium, where Brandon Benitz gave an informative etiquette presentation. He touched on seemingly simple items such as how to tell which roll and water glass belong to which seat, and also more complex items such as how to respect other cultures during networking events.
Then, the group traveled to the Central Community College (CCC) campus in Kearney. After a quick tour of the facility, Jared Petit provided a session on his Mechatronics program. He explained some of the classes the department requires to ensure that students graduate with the problem solving skills required to succeed in the industry. He also explained the First Lego League robotics team that is housed at CCC, which was notable as interest in robotics continues to be on the rise.
The 5th stop of the day was as the Youth Rehabilitation on and Treatment Center. There, Cindy Krolikowski gave a brief background on the facility before taking the group on a walking tour of the campus. The tour included the cafeteria, the West Kearney High School, the dorms, and the canteen area where the boys can trade in rewards for specialty items such as snacks. During the tour, the boys were busy decorating their dorms for a Christmas decoration competition between the different buildings.
The group ended the day with a trip to the Hanny Arram Center for a presentation and tour by Principal Jason Owens. Mr. Owens explained the need for the specialized school within the Kearney Public Schools district, and noted many positive outcomes from the students who attend the school. It was evident that the staff at the Hanny Arram Center take great pride in ensuring their students have all the resources they need to succeed after graduation.
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