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Seneca announces top two graduates

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Valedictorian Jena Konichek and Salutatorian Samantha Boland

The Seneca High School has recognized its valedictorian Jena Konichek and salutatorian Samantha Boland for the Class of 2017.

Valedictorian Jena Konicheck, the daughter of Doug and Susie Konichek, of Steuben, will attend Southwest Tech in Fennimore this fall for ag business. Being part of the FFA and National Honor Society at Seneca are activities she believes will be helpful for her in her future endeavors. Jena also pursued softball and basketball in high school and played volleyball through her junior year.

Over the last four years, Jena has appreciated every interaction with her teachers and classmates and the opportunities she’s had to be outgoing among her peers. She’s proud that she’s remained committed to her small school environment, which has helped her become a better person overall.

“There have been tough times, like getting slumps of homework that cause a stressful mind. When this sort of thing happens though, I keep in mind that it can only get better and keep moving forward,” she said. “Sometimes, we are not good with change and having to deal with it can be scary. However, if we change the way we are learning what teachers are teaching, then we may enjoy learning all the time and actually remember more.”

Jena is looking forward to starting college and meeting new friends and feels she’s prepared for the challenges life after high school will present. Of course, she will miss her friends and teachers, the school and community and the caring neighborhood. She said she’s extremely grateful to have grown up in a community that’s so dedicated to keeping her hometown area prosperous.

“I will miss the teachers who pushed me to learn more things and get out of my comfort zone. Also, I will miss the memories and excitement my classmates and teachers never failed to bring,” she shared, noting that Ms. Nelson has been a favorite of hers “because she is practical when necessary, but she also knows how to have a good laugh every now and then.”

She added, “She finds the joy in learning and tries to get her students to see the same. She is an all-around generous person and I admire her.”

Jena will most of all miss seeing her parents every day. She’s indebted to them for their strong and devoted support of her.

“They understand where I am coming from when I talk to them about things that are bugging me. I can always count on my parents to be there when I need them,” she said. “My mom always lets me know how proud she is of me and that makes me feel important and want to do more with my life. My dad always has some smart yet funny comment he insists I think about, which helps me forget about the stress.”

Leaving advice for underclassmen is easy for Jena, as she has plenty. She encourages her fellow students to believe in themselves and never give up.

“Love your friends and family every day like it is your last because, when other people walk away, they will be the ones who have your back,” she stated. “And don’t be afraid of change. You will gain new friends and you will lose old ones—that is part of life. But don’t turn down new experiences and adventures because you are scared or embarrassed of what people will say.”

Salutatorian Samantha Boland is overjoyed to have reached her goal of becoming one of the top two students in her class. She lives in Seneca and is the daughter of Chuck and Renae Boland and Angie and Bob Schroeder. She’s ready to complete her goal of becoming a registered nurse and is thrilled to attend Viterbo University in La Cross for her nursing degree.

As a Seneca student, Samantha has been active across the spectrum. She played basketball for four years and softball and volleyball for two years. She was on the National Honor Society, did forensics and FFA activities and participated in the business club, Future Business Leaders of America, PALS and Students Helping Areas Resist Efforts (SHARE). She served as an officer in several capacities.

In the community, she’s also done her part by performing roadside cleanup, volunteering at the church bazaar, organizing donations for a family who lost everything in a house fire, assisting the Lions Club with Breakfast with Santa, selling food through the Seneca Educational Foundation, helping plan wellness day, taking gift baskets to the sick and elderly and working the wild game feed dinner.

She currently works part-time as well as a certified nurse aide at Boscobel Care and Rehab. She’s been there two years.

Reflecting on her time as a high school student, Samantha encourages others to work hard because it will pay off. “It’s something my father has told me when I was a little child.

“Freshman year, I was awarded the Greenhand award for FFA. Sophomore year, I was warded the chapter award for FFA. Junior year, I received the three-year member award for FFA. Having good grades has also paid off,” she said. “I was student of the month my freshman, junior and senior years. I was an academic recipient my freshman year and an academic letter and medal winner my sophomore year. I was also the nominee for the Good Citizen Award, which was chosen by the staff members of the Seneca School District.”

Samantha believes her good work ethic has helped her throughout high school. She’s been able to try her hardest at all times and get things done to the best of her abilities.

“Another strength of mine is my communication skills,” she stated. “I am able to ask for help when struggling and that will help me in the future by being able to go to my professors for help too.”

The teacher who has most impacted Samantha, in her eyes, has been Kayla Chambers, someone who has always been encouraging when challenges have presented themselves.

“As a sophomore, she helped me receive my CNA license. As a junior and senior, she helped me apply for college classes,” Samantha commented. “As a child, I went through some family struggles when my parents got divorced and she was also the teacher who always talked to me and made sure I was having a good day.”

At home, Samantha is grateful for the inspiration she’s received from her dad and grandma.

“They’re the ones who, when I was having a bad day, would cheer me up. When I told my grandma I would be attending a private school and my parents weren’t able to help me pay for it, she began saving up money to help,” she shared. “My father is the type of man who would work every day rather than sit at home all day. I look up to my father because he is very successful in his job and, someday, I want to be able to tell him I’ve finally gotten where I wanted to be. Both are great role models for not only me but the rest of my family and friends and I will forever look up to them.”

As her future begins, Samantha said she is going to miss the small size of Seneca and her classes in high school as well as her friendship with the teachers. She would like to see Seneca’s underclassmen stay involved and urges them to push themselves out of their comfort zones and participate in activities they believe will help them down the road.

Looking ahead to college, Samantha can’t wait to meet new people, especially those from different cultures and countries.

“I am looking forward to being on my own and moving away from my brothers,” she joked. “But mostly, I am looking forward to starting my career.”

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