JEFF FIELDER Editor
GORDON – Jace Nelson, a senior at Gordon-Rushville High School, is Nspire Today!’s Male Student of the Month for February. He ranks first in his class with a 4.0 GPA, and he’s in his second year in National Honor Society. One of the school activities he excels at is band. A tenor saxophone player, Nelson has been selected to the Western Trails Conference All-Conference Band all four years of high school, and he’s also been tabbed to the Chadron State College High Plains Honor Band twice. The 6-foot-6, 255-pound Nelson is also a standout athlete, excelling in three sports. In football, he started four years on the offensive and defensive lines, and this past season he was named all-region and all-district. He’s been named all-conference two times. In basketball, he’s a four-year starter at center. He’s been named all-conference each of the last three years, and last year he was the WTC MVP. Last year he was named all-region as well. As of mid-January, he was averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds per game. He holds the school rebounding record for a game, season and career. In golf, Nelson has been on varsity each of the last three years and qualified for state each of the last two years. He was named academic all-state all four years of his basketball career, two years in football, and three times so far in golf. Outside of school, Nelson is involved in the Gordon Youth Basketball Association, and he attends St. Leo Catholic Church in Gordon. Also, he’s been mowing lawns in the summer since fourth grade, and he enjoys hunting and fishing. After high school, he plans to attend Concordia University to play basketball while pursuing an education degree, focusing on becoming a strength and condition coach or a physical education teacher. His parents are Joel and Angela Nelson.
Q: You rank first in your class with a 4.0 GPA. How pleased are you with what you’ve been able to achieve academically at Gordon-Rushville High School?
NELSON: “I’m really happy that the hard work I’ve put in has been paying off. I thank my mom and dad for pushing me to always do my best.”
Q: Coming into high school, was one of your goals to maintain a 4.0 GPA?
NELSON: “Yes, it was. I’ve always looked up to my older brother [Jared, 23, who’s currently student teaching at Chadron State College]. He had a 4.0, so I wanted to do as well as him, if not better.”
Q: Up to this point, what do you feel has been your biggest academic achievement?
NELSON: “I would say maintaining a 4.0 all four years of high school.”
You can read the entire story in the February 2023 issue of Nspire Today! magazine. A one-year subscription (12 issues) is only $20. You may sign up for a subscription by sending $20 to Nspire Today!, P.O. Box 454, Scottsbluff, NE 69363, or you may pay with a credit card by calling 308-220-8865.
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