They walk onto the field, open a guitar case and reveal an instrument representing the opposing team. Then the guitar is smashed over a giant amplifier, sending the fans into a frenzy.

“The atmosphere is incredible,” Cassidy Stelling told Tyler Ellyson, editor of the UNK News, “and I have no problem with my guitars being smashed whatsoever. I actually love it. It’s on TV. It’s in front of thousands of people. And even though they’re booing it because it’s the other team, I’m just like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s something I created.’”

A Kearney native and recent University of Nebraska at Kearney graduate, Stelling designs the guitars for this unique pregame activity, using digital illustration software and her artistic ability to elevate this new tradition, started in 2022 as a nod to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame located there.

So far, her creations have been destroyed by professional wrestler and television personality The Miz, former Cleveland Cavaliers player Daniel Gibson and Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Thomas. Her designs for six more home opponents — the 49ers, Cardinals, Steelers, Jaguars, Bears and Jets — will be unveiled throughout the regular season. The 22-year-old has complete artistic control over the project.

“What I wanted to do was make the design so killer that when it’s smashed, the reaction feels even better,” she said. “That was really the vibe I was going for.”

As a digital design intern for the Browns, Stelling has a hand in numerous projects that promote the NFL team and its corporate partners. She designs graphics and ads for the website, social media and app, creates content for sweepstakes and email campaigns, and provides in-game scoring updates for followers around the world.

“It’s definitely a creative position,” she said. “It’s not just strictly design and sitting in the office. It allows me to get out and be a member of the community, which has greatly added to my experience.”

EPIC for Girls and Jeffrey Williams of J’s Braintrust have announced the launch of a girls officiating academy, titled “Girls Ref the World.”

Designed to diversify sports administration, the initiative targets women ages 14 to 24 from north and south Omaha, equipping them with the necessary skills for a thriving career in sports officiating in Nebraska.

The program will meet twice weekly for four weeks from 6 to 8 p.m. starting Oct. 17.

For those interested in learning more about the Girls Ref the World academy, or looking to support this initiative as a sponsor or partner, contact Williams at [email protected] or Kimberly Thomas at [email protected]. To apply go to epicforgirls.org.

The Saunders County Agricultural Literacy Festival provided an exciting way for Omaha area and Saunders County fourth graders to learn about agriculture and its importance in their daily lives.

With continued growth in urban areas, many youth don’t have a connection with or the opportunity to visit a farm.

The Ag Literacy Coalition, led by Nebraska Extension, organizes the festival and partners with commodity groups, businesses and organizations for program content, presentations and funding.

Nebraska Extension Educator Cole Meador coordinates the Saunders County Festival and says it provides an excellent way for students to learn about a wide range of agricultural concepts, from production to products, in a fun and interactive environment.

“This year’s festival focused on beef, ag careers, ag technology, poultry, dairy, corn and soybeans, swine, water and on the farm,” he said. “Students had the opportunity to get up and close to dairy and beef cattle, poultry, tractors, technology, crops, and see some impressive modern-day technology.”

To learn how heavy a bushel of corn is, a corn relay race was organized. Students learned an acre of soybeans is about the same size as a football field. They tried out technology farmers and crop scouts utilize to determine plant health by using a handheld measuring device to find chlorophyll content of corn leaves.

Students were surprised to find out how much technology is involved in agriculture, how many products are made from ag byproducts and the many tasks and costs involved for ag producers.

The first fall festival was held in 1996 at the UNL’s Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center near Mead, Nebraska, serving as a one-day pilot project for 200 Omaha Public School sixth-graders. In recent years (initially to accommodate COVID-19 restrictions), the festival moved to the Saunders County fairgrounds in Wahoo. This year, 622 students attended with more than 19,200 students taking part from 1996-2023.

Pete Tulipana, Margarite Goodenow and Project Harmony will receive the 2023 Jason Awards from The Children’s Square USA on Nov. 2.

The event will be held at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs. A reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. with dinner, the program and a live auction to follow.

Tulipana has held leadership roles in several area nonprofits and is the president and CEO of Southwest Iowa Nonprofit for Collective Impact. Goodenow is a long-time community volunteer and has served on numerous local boards of nonprofit organizations, including Children’s Square.

Project Harmony, established in 1996 to “reimagine how our community responds to child abuse”, serves more than 8,000 children from the Omaha metro and southwest Iowa areas through early intervention and response services.

Dr. Ted and Polly Hoff of Council Bluffs will serve as the honorary chairs for the 2023 Jason Awards. Ted Hoff is a retired ophthalmologist and the Hoffs have been advocates for many local nonprofit organizations.

“The award represents the value we place on our children and the awesome responsibility we have in preparing them for the future,” said Phil Taylor, Children’s Square Chief Administrative Officer. “Over 90 awards have been presented to outstanding community leaders and organizations since the inception of the awards in 1986.”

Tickets are available through Oct. 24 online at childrenssquare.org/Jason-awards, by email at [email protected] or by calling 712-828-7464.

AIM Institute Director of Community Engagement Tony Veland earned recognition as a recipient of The Bloc’s 2023 50 Over 50 NE Awards for his impact on the Omaha community.

He was honored at a ceremony along with other award winners Saturday at the Embassy Suites Downtown Omaha.

Veland leads AIM’s efforts to deliver life-changing opportunities and resources to underserved youth and adults in Omaha, fortifying the tech talent pipeline by helping inspire individuals to engage in meaningful career development programs. Through speaking engagements, mentorship, training sessions and other outreach efforts, Veland’s work is integral to the nonprofit AIM’s mission of building a strong and diverse tech ecosystem in Omaha and beyond.

“I am honored to receive this award and to be recognized alongside a group of incredible leaders who’ve worked to positively impact our community,” Veland said. “I am grateful to be supported by an outstanding team at AIM Institute as we work to provide accessible tech education to people of all ages and backgrounds.”

Veland, who began his AIM career in 2018, joins several notable award recipients in this year’s class of 50 Over 50 honorees, including former Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne, U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, State Sen. Rita Sanders and former State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks. The awards, operated by Lincoln-based nonprofit The Bloc and supported by AARP Nebraska, spotlight individuals who demonstrate outstanding leadership and dedication in their industries.

In addition to his community contributions through AIM, Veland has served on several nonprofit boards and has inspired youth as an instructor and coach at sports academies and camps.

Veland won two national championships with the Nebraska football team and earned a Super Bowl ring with the Denver Broncos. He is a member of the Nebraska High School Hall of Fame and the Omaha Sports Hall of Fame.

It took about 15 years to convince the Band 311 to become a Face on the Barroom Floor. It was worth the wait.

In a memorable evening at the Omaha Press Club, more than 200 people — most loyal followers of the band since they began their journey in Omaha — didn’t hold back in celebrating their local heroes, who have lived in Los Angeles since 1992.

The iconic band is comprised of Nick Hexum, Aaron “P-Nut” Wills, Chad Sexton, Tim Mahoney and Doug “SA” Martinez.

Hexum, Mahoney and Sexton were graduates of Westside High School; Martinez and Wills graduated from Omaha Bryan.

Emcee Curtis Grubb was a friend of Hexum since kindergarten and the band since before their first practice. Resplendent in his purple-sequined coat with gold leather pants, Grubb plays in a band known as Grasshopper Takeover. He capped his roast by playing an X-rated song to the tune of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” with the audience joining in singing the chorus.

Grubb praised 311 saying, “My life would not be the same without them. They have created an element of joy in my life.”

Brandon (B-Love) Harden joked that he was “launching his comedy career with this roast.”

He noted that the band’s name came from the police code for indecent exposure after a friend of the band was arrested for skinny dipping in a public pool. Now, more than 30 years later and the band in its 50s, the name stands for “anytime a group of senior citizens gather in a parking lot.”

The middle of the roast featured Hexum’s parents and stepmother in what Grubb called “a taste of octogenarians.”

Hexum’s father, Terry, said Nick wanted to be a rock star since he was 8.

He recalled how proud he was when Nick put together a group and performed “Steppin’ Stone” by the Monkees at a talent show at Arbor Heights Elementary School. Then, the band played a second song, and the administrator in charge had to “pull the plug.”

Evan Miles, a nephew of Martinez and 311’s tour manager, was the final roaster. He saluted the band for “bringing Nebraska’s laid-back beach culture” to California.

He noted that the band once played basketball with Shaquille O’Neal, who was a huge fan of the group. In 2001, O’Neal famously flew in to a 311 concert on a helicopter with a Lakers logo on it. He sang a number of songs on stage with the band and even jumped into the mosh pit several times.

Nick Hexum provided the closing remarks. He had special words for his father and mother. He recognized the key role his dad’s 45 RPM records featuring Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis “supported his musical dreams” and created a “musically rich household.”

He concluded by paying homage to his four band members for being “smart, honest, trustworthy pals.”