The Wilber Clatonia Public School Foundation board members are grateful for the scholarship donations.
A scholarship memorializes the named and helps the next generation.
Full list of scholarships: (as of April 2025)
Abbie W. Trousil & Adolph C. Trousil Scholarship
Agnes Trnik Memorial Scholarships
Albert S. Chmelir Memorial Scholarship
Allen Pecka Memorial Scholarship
Arlen Lohmeyer Memorial Scholarship
Betty & Alan Stelnacher Scholarship
Blue Valley Post 4959 VFW Scholarship
Brian Mager Agricultural Scholarship
Charles Mundil Memorial Scholarship
Clatonla Cardinal Club Scholarship
Crete Area Health Care Foundation Scholarship
Donald E. & Merle D. Fikar Czech Alumni Band
Duane Jorgensen Czech Alumni Band Scholarship
Eastern Star Scholarship
Elmer Broz & Edna F. Broz Scholarship
Elsie Sukovaty Cauble Gibson & Allen Lee Cauble Memorial Scholarship
Emma Chaloupka Shramek Scholarship
Farmers & Merchants Bank Scholarship
Farmers Cooperative Elevator Co. Scholarship
First State Nebraska Scholarship
Friends of W-C Scholarships
Future Business Leaders of America Scholarship
Herbert & Sylula Schmale Scholarship
Iola Brolliar Memorial Scholarship
Irene Pluonka Sokolik Scholarship
Jaroslava M. Nezavdalova Homolka Scholarship
JIll Rezabek Ahrendts Scholarship
Joe & Christine E. Janda Scholarship
Joe & Emma Vesely Memorial Scholarship
Joe & Helene Steinacher Scholarship
John Chrastil Memorial Scholarship
Justin Lee Kunc Memorial Scholarship
Kathy Massahos Kinney Tucson Community Foundation Scholarship
Keith Homolka Scholarship
Kral Family Memorial Scholarship
Lad & Dorothy Kastanek Memorial Scholarship
Ladislav Rezabek Family Memorial Scholarship
Louis Trnik Memorial Scholarships
Ludulk Simecek Memorial Scholarship
Marian & Eddie Rezabek Memorial Scholarship
Mary Ellen Matulka Teaching Excellence Scholarship
Michael Hroch Memorial Scholarship
Nebraska Czechs of Wilber Scholarship
Otto & Antoinette Smith Memorial Scholarship
Pat Wallman Memorial Scholarship
Raymond Lohmeyer Memorial Scholarship
Richard C. Mares & Helen Zach Memorial Scholarship
Robert & Eleanora Houser Memorial Scholarship
Ronald Ross Memorial Scholarship
Security First Bank Clatonia Branch Scholarship
Service to Mankind Scholarship
Shirley (Teet) Pecka Memorial Scholarship
Smithfield Foods, Inc. Scholarship
Steve & Lynn Wiese Agricultural Scholarship
T.J. Sokol Scholarship
Valarle J. Rezabek Scholarship
Vernon & Leona Huneke Family Scholarship
Victor Chab Czech Honor Scholarship
Viola C. Jelinek Memorial Scholarship
Walter & Helene Novak Baer Memorial Scholarships I & II
Wayne Janda Memorial Scholarship
Wilber-Clatonia Education Association (WCEA) Scholarship
Western Community Club Scholarship
WFLA (ZCBJ) Lodge Praha/Libuse #54 Scholarship
Wilber Area Masonic Lodge Scholarships
Wilber Clatonia FFA Alumni Betterment Scholarship
Wilber Clatonia FFA Alumni Foundation Scholarship
Wilber Clatonia FFA Alumni Local Scholarship
Wilber Clatonia FFA Chapter Scholarship
Wilber Clatonia Chapter of National Honor Society Scholarship
Wilber Clatonia P.T.O. Scholarship
Wilber Czech Craft Shop Scholarship
Wilber Garden Club Scholarship
Wilber Lions Club Scholarship
William & Albina Musil Scholarship
History
The Wilber Clatonia Public Schools Foundation was started in 1989 through the vision of Alan Steinacher. Mr. Steinacher's commitment to education, youth, and community drove his desire to create the Foundation, setting the seemingly lofty goal to have a foundation with a $1.0 million base.
Today, thanks to his vision and the generosity of countless donors who shared Mr. Steinacher's vision and commitment, the Foundation has grown to an asset base of $1.8 million, with 50+ scholarships given annually.
Congruent with the original tenets upon which it was formed, today the Foundation is led by a volunteer board that invests donations in insured and low-risk investments to protect the original gifts, and charges only postage and printing against the Foundation accounts. More importantly, the Foundation is a vehicle by which donors have been able to make gifts that are their legacies, as well as tributes to the community and its students.
Today
Today's extremely low-interest rates, a consequence of the nation's economy, has impacted the volume of scholarship dollars awarded through the Wilber Clatonia Public Schools Foundation. The Foundation Board is diligent in trying to find the best interest return on donated dollars. Endowed scholarship fund proceeds are slightly more than 40% of what they were ten years ago.
At the same time, higher education costs have steadily increased. The decrease in available scholarship funds and increase in costs means today's Wilber Clatonia graduates and their families have an unprecedented higher education financial burden to shoulder. You can leave a wonderful legacy to carry on into the future.
Opportunity
The Wilber Clatonia Public Schools Foundation Board is sharing these realities with the community in the hope that those in a position to donate to the Wilber Clatonia Public Schools Foundation will do so. Donations will decrease the financial burden on graduates and their families and will increase the likelihood of personal and professional success of Wilber Clatonia's youth.
Please contact Superintendent Ray Collins (P.O. Box 487 Wilber, NE 68465 | 402.821.2266) or a member of the Foundation Board if you are interested in donating to the Foundation. You can have a positive impact on today's youth and the future.
Foundation Board Members (as of 2022-2023 school year)
back row: Sheryl Kastanek, Chair | Lana (Kracke) Musil '94 | Christine (Oliver) Linhart '76, Vice-Chair | Dr. Susan Fritz, PhD, Treasurer | Jennifer (Ripa) Pospisil '01
front row: Justin Kuntz | Superintendent Ray Collings, Secretary | Dr. Joshua Heller, DC '92| Russell Schuerman '72
not picture: high school counselor, Jill (Sykes) Shea-Carpenter '82