“Rural Nebraska is in a struggle for its very survival,” Path said.

2
Teaching tool becomes valued prize
Pictured l. to r., Alan Darnall, NECC Automotive Technology Instructor; Scott Wiebelhaus, winner of the
pictured ’67 Shelby Kit Car; and Lyle Kathol, Dean of Applied Technology Division
What started as a valuable
teaching tool for 10 automotive
technology and auto body
repair technology students at
Northeast Community College
has become a treasured prize
for a Norfolk man.
Scott Wiebelhaus won the
1967 Shelby Kit Car built by stu-
The In Touch Alumni Newsletter
is published twice a year for
Northeast Community College
alumni and friends of the College.
Northeast Community College
801 East Benjamin Avenue
P.O. Box 469
Norfolk, NE 68702-0469
Phone: (402) 371-2020 or
(800) 348-9033
Fax: (402) 844-7400
Website: northeast.edu
Email: alumni@northeast.edu
dents in the two Northeast programs
with an appraised value
of $35,000.
Wiebelhaus was ecstatic the
day he claimed his car. “Wow,
this is great,” he said. “My dad
lives in Arizona and he thinks
I should bring it to Arizona to
store over the winter,” he said
Kenneth Echtenkamp, West
Point, and Jack Warrick, Meadow
Grove, chose not to file for
re-election and left their Board
positions at year’s end.
Echtenkamp
joined
the Board in
January 1978
to represent
District IV of
Burt, Cum-
Kenneth
Echtenkamp
ing, Stanton,
and Thurston
Counties in
their entirety and a portion of
Madison County.
Warrick joined the Board in
with a laugh.
“It was a great exercise for students
in both programs,” said
Alan Darnall, automotive technology
instructor. “Projects like
this help students develop their
mechanical problem-solving
skills,” he said.
“The students learned a lot
1984 to
represent
District V,
consisting of
the majority
of Madison
County.
The two
Jack Warrick
oversaw tremendous
change and growth
at the campus in Norfolk and
with the establishment of education
centers.
When Echtenkamp joined
the Board, the campus in Norfolk
had three buildings and
credit enrollment was 1,451
and noncredit enrollment was
2,010. When Warrick joined
about refinishing a custom fiberglass
body in this class,” said
Howard Meier, auto body repair
technology instructor. “They
also learned about doing a custom,
two-toned paint job while
working with a base coat, clear
coat system.”
Darnall expressed gratitude
for the support the project received
from area retailers and
service providers. “The tires
were provided by Square Tire of
Norfolk, machining was provided
by Ag and Industrial Engine
Machine of Norfolk and Brunkhorst
Engine Machine Shop of
Columbus. Yankton Automotive
built the lower end of the engine
and NAPA of Norfolk donated all
the paint and supplies.”
“We also received donated
engine parts from Northern
Auto Parts of Sioux City, more
engine parts from CarQuest of
Norfolk, an Optima battery from
Advanced Auto Parts, and parts
for the automatic transmission
from Norfolk Transmission and
Muffler,” he said.
Northeast bids farewell to two Board members
the Board, Northeast had 12
buildings and a credit enrollment
of 1,550 and non-credit
enrollment of 11,000.
Today Northeast has 24
buildings on the Norfolk campus
and leases the education centers
in West Point, O’Neill, and South
Sioux City. Fiscal year 2009-2010
saw credit enrollment at 7,390
and non-credit enrollment at
18,181.
Dr. Bill R. Path, NECC president,
stated “It is difficult to
adequately express our appreciation
to them and to let them
know how much their expertise,
history and knowledge of this
college will be missed.”