After a year jam-packed with notable athletic and academic achievements, Gretna East has inducted 14 students into its inaugural Hall of Fame.

In the coming weeks, each of these individuals will be honored for their accomplishments and accolades with a plaque that will hang in the Hall of Fame case located in the commons.

To qualify to be inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame, there are different criteria based on the activity. However, one component that is taken into consideration is excellence in a Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA)–sanctioned sport or activity (Debate, Journalism, Music, Play Production, Speech). The criteria that were used and will continue to be used to determine future Hall of Fame honorees were crafted by Gretna Public Schools high school administrators.

“We got together this summer with Gretna High and kind of combined and got us consistent in what the criteria were,” Assistant Activities Director Kyle Moore said.

Announcing the 2024 inductees is something district leaders have been looking forward to.

“I’m excited, thrilled for the kids that are being recognized,” Activities Director Ryan Garder said. “Hall of Fame is a tough bar to reach, and so I’m excited to see how students perform this year in their activities.”

Being inducted into the Hall of Fame has created full-circle moments for some inductees.

“It kind of brings me back to when I was a freshman,” Knott said. “I remember looking up to one of the seniors at the time who had been previously inducted into the Hall of Fame for the same reason that I was. I thought to myself ‘That’s where I want to be.’ It felt pretty cool to be in a position where you finally reached that.”

Going forward, each year, students who meet the criteria will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the beginning of the school year for accomplishments achieved in the previous academic year. However, inducting students into the Hall of Fame is not guaranteed to be an annual occurrence depending on student achievement.

“Hopefully we’re adding people every school year, but there is a chance that we could go a year without any,” Assistant Activities Director Kyle Moore said.

While it isn’t guaranteed, this year’s inductees are determined to make sure there will be another induction next year.

“I think we can do even better than last year and hopefully achieve another State title,” inductee, junior Kennedy Walker said.