HC Historical Society teams with Walnut

Grand Island, NE – The Hall County Historical Society (HCHS) is excited to announce the launch of an innovative Junior Member Program in partnership with Walnut Middle School's DC Diplomats. This program will provide students with a unique opportunity to explore their local community history and their role in preserving it before traveling to Washington DC in the spring of their 8th grade year where they will explore our national history.

DC Diplomats is a select group of 8th grade students who apply and then go through a rigorous application review process that considers the student’s grades, attendance, leadership, and more. During their 8th grade year, DC Diplomats prepare for their upcoming trip and work on leadership development. Program sponsor Tyler Madison shared with the HCHS board that “In looking for opportunities for our students, HCHS seems like a perfect partnership.”

To grow that “perfect partnership” Madison and HCHS Vice President Michelle Setlik designed the Junior Member Program on the foundation established in Fall 2023. During the fall, DC Diplomats attended a tour of the Grand Island Cemetery and performed a student service project at the Seedling Mile site.

As part of this new program, HCHS will provide individual Junior memberships to each Walnut DC Diplomat during their 8th grade year. Junior membership will grant students the rights and privileges of regular members, including admission at HCHS programs and events scheduled during that year. In addition, the group will have three exclusive programs including a cemetery tour, downtown tour, and community history presentation during the school year. HCHS will also help with the group’s fundraising efforts by assisting them with an event at Burlington Station in the spring.

In return, DC Diplomats will perform two community service projects for HCHS each school year, one in the fall and one in the spring. As part of their leadership development the Senior Diplomats, 8th grade students who already went to DC, will assist with the fundraiser alongside the Junior Diplomats, 7th grade students who are starting their fundraising for their trip the next spring.

Three events are planned for DC Diplomats as they finish the 23-24 school year.
• April 3 - Students will assist with a spring-cleaning service project at Burlington Station.
• April 7 - The community is invited to support the DC Diplomats in kicking off their Spring 2025 trip fundraising at a pancake feed from 8 am to 12 pm at Burlington Station. While enjoying delicious pancakes, attendees can view pictures from the Spring 2024 trip to Washington, D.C.
• May 4 - A downtown tour will wrap up the year for current DC Diplomats.