Auburn Fine Arts Students Saluted on 2025-2026 Successes

Note: Some honors recognized were previously published in the Nemaha Valley Observer earlier in the school year.

Friday night, May 1, Auburn High School fine arts students in multiple areas were lauded on triumphs during 2025-2026 school year at the annual Fine Arts Festival.
Instrumental Music
Outstanding High School Band Members: Landry Allen, Marc Bohling, Kale Davidson, Charlotte Dickerson, Rylee Dotson, Emma Dunekacke, Twila Haynes, Zack Haynes, Karlito Holthus-Hunt, Kyle Jones, Ian Mather, Anna Schlange, Beau Thomas and Grace Zhang.
Outstanding Leadership: Addison Fankhauser.
Color Guard Member of the Year: Hunter Stevenson. Based on consistently demonstrating the highest level of character, leadership, loyalty and musical performance.
David Whitehouse Jazz Award: Lily Harrah and Elijah Powell. Salutes outstanding achievement in the musical genre as demonstrated through superior musicianship, character and individual creativity. Whitehouse’s mother established the honor in memory of her son, who loved jazz band as well as excelling as a student-musician.
John Philip Sousa Award: Jack Hayes, top student-instrumentalist. Criteria includes superior musicianship, leadership, dependability and loyalty. Sousa composed more than 100 marches while promoting nationalism and a patriotic spirit nationwide.
The Jazz Band played Kansas City, Round Midnight featuring Harrah on trumpet, Caribbean Dance and Bourbon Street Parade.
Performed by the Symphonic Band were Blue Ridge Reel, The Great Locomotive Chase and Excursion featuring Hayes on bass clarinet.
Ben Hanika is director of bands.
Vocal Music
High School Choral Award: Fankhauser. Salutes singular merit, ability and achievement; outstanding contributions to the success of the school’s vocal music program; as well as loyalty, cooperation and high qualities of conduct by the general consent of the music faculty, school officials and others.
Rising Star: Ellie Phillips.
Outstanding High School Choir Members: Ella Ackley, Fankhauser, Kinsley Gerdes, Gillian Hanna, Harrah, Twila Haynes, Zackariah Haynes, Alexa Janssen, Hailey Janssen, Gianna Johnson, Ethan Pemberton, Veronica Potter, Elijah Powell, Madeline Swoboda, Leah Tucker and Josie Zimmerman.
Homeward Bound was sung by Ackley and Swoboda. The Concert Choir performed I See Stars, Feelin’ Good and The Times They are A-Changing’. Soloists were Harrah, Tucker, Gerdes and Fankhauser.
A medley from The Greatest Showman was sung by Vocal Velocity show choir.
Weekly Volcano Press from Auburn’s recent spring musical Little Women was performed. Andrew Davis is choral director. Diane Hughes is musical director. Jaymi Victor accompanied.
Visual Arts
Student-artists with work featured in the East Central Nebraska Conference art show were recognized by Stevie Eickhoff.
Speech
Mather and Stevenson were co-Most Valuable Players.
The oral interpretation of drama presentation of Shrek was given by Ackley, Gerdes, Hanna, Alexa Janssen and Thomas.
Danielle Wredt is Auburn speech coach.
Play Production
Rising Stars, first-year participants: Ackley and Charlotte Dickerson.
Outstanding Crew Members: Davidson and Solomon Jacobitz.
Outstanding Actors: Fankhauser and Thomas.
Thespian of the Year: Kyle Jones.
Bobbie Jones is director.
Senior Recognition
Class of 2026 students who took part in fine arts activities and their parents or guardians were recognized. They are: Riley Dickerson, Fankhauser, Harrah, Hayes, Twila Haynes, Holthus-Hunt, Alexa Janssen, Mather, Powell, Schlange, Stevenson, Zhang and Colt Zentner.