Lange Earns Believers & Achievers Honor

HARTINGTON - The NSAA has recognized Liby Lange of Hartington-Newcastle as a US Bank Believers & Achievers winner.

Lange joins 47 other senior boys and girls from across Nebraska that were recognized for their, and according to a press release, “eight of the Believers & Achievers will receive a $500 scholarship from U.S Bank to the college or university of their choice at a scholarship banquet to be held on April 28, 2019.”

To be eligible for nomination, a student needs to be a senior with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.75 on an unweighted 4.0 scale. Each school can nominate two students, and schools are told to consider five categories when selecting a student — Scholastic Achievement, Activity Participation, School and Community Service, and Citizenship.

Lange says all of her activities helped her get recognized.

“I think it was a lot of involvement in everything. It was athletics, academics, and there was a lot of community involvement also.”

The criteria are laid out for all schools.

For Scholastic Achievement, there is the 3.75 GPA that is needed, all academic classes since freshman year through the end of the junior year are used to calculate the GPA. Academic honors and awards are also considered.

For Activity Participation, only activities sanctioned by the NSAA  are considered. Any other activities would be considered under Community Involvement.

For School Involvement, it takes into consideration school clubs and organizations, showing support of activities that she does not participate in, and showing the trait of helping others.

For Community Involvement, this is where any youth organizations outside of school and the NSAA are considered, as well as volunteerism in community programs, and again showing the trait of helping others.

For the Citizenship category, a student will write a 250-300 word essay on a specific topic.

All 48 students will be recognized at NSAA State Championship events throughout the season. Lange says she was contacted to pick her top three events of when she would like to be presented hers.

“They sent me a form online and it had me pick my top three choices so I think it will either be at girls state basketball or at state speech.”

Lange is not the only Cedar County resident to earn the distinction of being a Believer & Achiever, Lorna Maxon at Laurel-Concord-Coleridge also earned the honor. Last year, Cedar Catholic’s Anna Reifenrath was recognized with the award.