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"I've told many other parents, 'I have no worries about my kid after I drop them off at the bus, because I know they are in the best hands!' Thank you for being a great place for my son to work."
-- Kevin R., parent
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Bus InformationIf you want to find out about who your supervisors are, you've come to the right page! Special Crew (The Force) - Berean Church Special Crew (The Force) - Lincoln Lutheran/Milford Exit
Berean 1: John Matzke, bus driver; Heidi Buell, bus assistant John is a high school math teacher at Lincoln East High School and has been working with youth for 25 years. He and his wife Beth have 3 children (ages 16-20). John was a youth pastor at Lincoln Berean Church for 8 years and is still active in the ministry there. He played basketball in high school and college and enjoys sports, gardening, carpentry and taking long walks through fields of corn :). His special ability is creating a turkey out of a bath towel.
Berean 2: Andrew Hammack, bus driver; Sarah Hoefler, bus assistant Andrew: Andrew is a middle school math and science teacher at Irving Middle School. He enjoys reading, playing and watching sports, and spending time with family and friends. He is excited for the upcoming detasseling season and the opportunity to meet and work with some great people.
Sarah: "Hello everyone! My name is Sarah Hoefler and this will be my eighth year working with NATS. I grew up in Firth, Nebraska and am now entering my senior year at UNK. I am majoring in English and minoring in Spanish and plan to go to law school once I graduate. I love working with kids and have spent countless hours babysitting, coaching, teaching and volunteering with them. I’m very excited for the opportunity to meet and work with all of you!
Berean 3/Milford Exit: Matt Wagner, bus driver; Holly Buell, bus assistant Matt has worked with youth and children for a long time. As the former children's pastor for Lincoln Berean Church, he's been around youth ministry and youth camps a lot. Currently, he is teaching Industrial Arts at Irving Middle School. He and his wife Cathy have three daughters.
Faith OPC: Jason Wilmot, bus driver; Hannah Buell, bus assistant Jason: "So how does a bus driver introduce themselves? I've had night sweats preparing for this moment so I'll try not to disappoint. My name is Jason Wilmot and I have been deemed by the State of Nebraska to be a worthy bus driver for all your detasseling odysseys. I'm also a fourth grade teacher, (which made me really wonder about dropping the y and adding an 'ies' to odyssey). This next year will be my 5th year of teaching at Saratoga Elementary School. I enjoy working with kids and annoying them by trying to always have them learn something about the world or themselves. I currently have 1 wife, 0 kids, 1 cat, 1 dog, and 52 white doves (we have a dove release business for weddings and funerals). I have a Masters degree in History and would amply be able to talk about things in history which I find interesting - but you may find dreadful. In my spare time I enjoy traveling the ever changing globe, seeing the sights, eating the food, and getting indigestion. I've been to 15 countries (but who's counting?). My most recent visits include, but are not limited to: Italy, Spain and India. Hannah: Hannah became a part of the Nebraska Family Council Team in August 2010 as the Media and Communications Coordinator. She graduated from UNL in May 2010 with a double major in Political Science and Spanish. She continues to be involved on campus by leading a sophomore girls' Bible study, discipling girls one-on-one, and being a part of the prayer and worship movement that is growing among different student ministries. Hannah hopes one day to minister in Africa to victims of human trafficking. She is the oldest of eight children and has detasseled for many years.
Lincoln Lutheran: Ben Brakenhoff, bus driver; Abigail Koehler, bus assistant Abigail: "Hello! My name is Abigail Koehler and this will be my seventh year detasseling. I was on Lincoln Lutheran for 2 years, the Force for 3 years, and this will be my second year as Bus Assistant for LL. I really enjoy this job! I have always enjoyed working hard and I love the people at NATS. I've grown up in Lincoln and I am currently a senior at Drake University in Des Moines, IA. I am studying Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology and I hope to go to Physician's Assistant school, specializing in pediatrics, if the Lord continues to lead in that direction. I am a Resident Assistant at Drake and really enjoy that job - definitely a people person. :) I am excited for another season!"
Ben: "The last seven years Ben has worked in camp ministry, education and construction. Detasseling gives him an opportunity to work hard while having fun interacting with others. Definitely not afraid to sweat."
Parkview Christian School: Dan Shafer, bus driver; Nathan Paul, bus assistant Dan: Dan Shafer is a farm boy at heart. Born in the cornfields of Los Angeles, he made the journey to Nebraska to pursue a career with the anatomy of people first, then animals, and finally deciding on working with their habitats instead as a wildlife biologist in 1993. Little did he know that God’s calling for him would be none of these. Shortly after meeting his lovely wife Deborah in 1995, Dan fell in love with her AND the idea of educating our youth. Since that point in time, he has been teaching various science classes in Lincoln, NE. In 2001, as he struggled to pay for his new 19 inch black and white television, Dan decided to supplement his income with agricultural labor and fell into the role of bus driver with NATS detasseling. Ten years and four children later, he can be found tending to his 2 dogs, 3 cats, 3 salamanders, 1 rat and flock of 24 chickens in Malcolm NE where his residence is more of a zoo than a farm. Between courses at UNL and teaching biology at East High School, you might be lucky enough to find Dan in the cornfields of his birth, shivering in the rain, sweating in the sun, working with the same youth that he spends the rest the year with. All that to say, “I am looking forward to another year with NATS since I truly missed the blisters on my blisters last year, and the ability to share the love Christ has shown us with the youth of Nebraska!" Nathan: "Hey everyone!! I'm Nate and I kinda love detasseling. I'm coming back for my 10th season this year and super stoked for it!! I hope you all are too! I just finished my 2nd year at the community college and going to be starting at the university for construction management this next year. Lookin forward to meeting you all this summer and havin a great time!!"
Omaha: Elaine Olson, bus driver; Philip Hamilton, bus assistant Elaine Olson grew up on a small farm in Northeast Indiana, though back then she focused more on horses than corn! She oversees an active home with seven children, ages 16 to 3, whom she homeschools. Though currently living in Omaha, she enjoys tending two gardens and a vineyard. Her hobbies include baking, scrapbooking, aerobics, swing-dancing and playing French Horn at Grace Reformed Church where her husband, Eric, pastors. Phil: "Hey folks! I've detasseled for NATS in Lincoln since I was a wee child of thirteen, and this is my third year as a bus leader. NATS is a family affair around my house; I started working with my older brother Don nine years ago on Berean 1, and now I look forward to working with my younger brother Steven on the Omaha bus! I graduated from Doane College in the study of Music Education and I play the flute, as well as several other instruments. My band director at Doane likes to say, 'You make your own good time.' I've found this to be true of detasseling - I've made a lot of memories (and friends!) through detasseling, and I am excited to be back at it again!"
Elkhorn: Kyle O'Connell, bus driver; Hallie Ewing, bus assistant Kyle is a senior at UNL. He studies Fisheries and Wildlife and Spanish. He is very excited about reptiles and one day wants to do conservation work and ministry in Latin America. Kyle enjoys being outside, as well as rock climbing. Hallie says: "Hey everyone! My name is Hallie and this will be my seventh summer of detasseling, though my first summer working with NATS, and I am so excited! I grew up in rural Nebraska and am currently a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln studying Political Science and Communication Studies. I love to run, bike, read, and drink coffee...lots of coffee."
Special Crew (The Force) - Berean Church: Ethan Shaw, bus driver; CarrieAnne Jones, bus assistant Ethan says: "Hey all! My name is Ethan Shaw and this is my fifth year detasseling. I am 28 and am from Bassett, Nebraska. I am going to be a bus driver for the Force, as I am sure you already know. I have worked and lived on a farm/ranch in northern Nebraska my whole life, so I am no stranger to hard work or corn. I am currently a student at the University of Nebraska here in Lincoln studying Broadcasting. I also am a coach for the rowing team at the University. I have done many jobs ranging from farm work to door-to-door sales that took me to the East coast. I believe this will be a great opportunity to meet new people and have a great time. I am excited for the season and everything it has to bring."
CarrieAnne: "Hey guys! My name is CarrieAnne Jones and I'm coming all the way from Michigan to spend the next month with you all so you better love me!! Just kidding. But seriously, I'm excited to get to know each one of you on my bus. Glad to see a lot of the same names from last year. I believe if I'm counting right this will be my fifth year with NATS. Can't believe it's been that many already. I just graduated two weeks ago from cosmetology school and will be looking to start in a salon as soon as the season is over. Things I enjoy to do? Pretty much anything outside. Love running, biking, swimming, wakeboarding and skiing. I love to sing and just music in general. So if you sing out in the field, I already like you:) See you all in a few days!" (Dawn recommends that since there will be a newly licensed cosmetologist on this bus that you not fall asleep on it . . .)
Special Crew (The Force) - Lincoln Lutheran/Milford Exit: Jacob Ritter, bus driver; Leah Brown, bus assistant Jacob: "Howdy Doody! I'm Jacob and I am a music teacher in from central Minnesota. I have worked for Dawn several years now and I love it, particularly her commitment to treating her workers with respect and maintaining a Christian atmosphere in the workplace. It is important to me that all of the kids on my bus are treated with respect and feel like they are a part of a team that takes pride in doing a good job. I love to sing, play games, read current events, and spend time with my friends and family, most of which live here in Nebraska, as I grew up in Columbus. I look forward to a great summer with NATS! Make your kids wear those long sleeves!!!!" Leah: Hey everyone! My name is Leah and this will be my fifth year detasseling with NATS. I just finished my senior year at Wayne State College where I majored in Middle Level Education. I moved back to Lincoln this summer to be closer to my family and will be student teaching here in the fall. I love doing anything outside (especially walking through cornfields!), traveling, and reading. God has blessed me in so many ways and I can't wait to see where He takes me next!
Current Bus Information
Nebraska Bus SitesElkhorn Peace Presbyterian Church 333 South 204th Street Milford Exit Just south of I-80 Northeast Lincoln Lincoln Lutheran School Northwest Lincoln Parkview Christian School Southeast Lincoln Berean Church Southwest Lincoln Faith OPC Church |
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