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Scoville earns Gov. Thone award

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HARTINGTON — Two of the area’s top students are being honored this month.

The annual Gov. Charles Thone Cedar County News Leadership award was presented Tuesday to Hartington-Newcastle senior Willa Scoville during the annual Activities Night at the HNS Gym.

Sadie Uhing will be honored at Cedar Catholic’s annual Awards Night May 7 with the Joan Rossiter Burney Cedar County News Outstanding Communicator award.

The awards are presented to honor two of Hartington’s most famous former residents. 

Thone was elected to serve Nebraska in Congress in 1970, a position he held until 1978 when he ran for and won the Nebraska governorship. He served as Nebraska’s Governor from 1979-1983. He died in 2018 at the age of 94.

Burney earned national acclaim for her writing and public speaking. 

Her writing career began as a columnist for the Cedar County News. She later wrote for several publications, including the Omaha World-Herald. She is a nationally known motivational speaker and was named National Mother of the Year in 1991 and inducted into the Nebraska Women Journalists Hall of Fame in 2015.

While both Thone and Burney were widely known across the state and country, they always made sure to tell people that they hail from Hartington, Nebraska — giving much of the credit for their accomplishments to the town, the people, that helped to raise them.

The awards focus on the outstanding leadership qualities of the recipients — qualities that are exemplified by the namesakes of these awards.

This year’s honorees are both impressive leaders and communicators.

Scoville, the daughter of Lisa Scoville, Hartington, finished her high school academic career as the top ranked student in her class.

Scoville has been involved in Student Council here since she was a seventh grader. She currently serves as Student Council Vice President and as National Honor Society President. 

She has been a member of the following for her entire high school career: speech, One-Act, Honor Roll, Academic All-State, Quiz Bowl and basketball. 

Scoville said she has always considered herself a good communicator and likes to work toward getting everyone to work together.