2025 York County Government Day educates high school students

YORK – York County Government Day happens each year but it seemed as if the 2025 version, held this week at the York County Courthouse, might have been the most educational and interactional in recent history.

​Fifty-two high school seniors were in attendance for the entirety of a morning – only cut slightly short by the closing of schools due to winter weather making its move into the area.
It was an especially active day at the courthouse, as the York County Commissioners were in regular session and it was a full-docket day at the York County District Court.
Students were able to sit in on the commissioners’ meeting while it was in session and Judge James Stecker welcomed the teenagers to sit in on court hearings as felony status hearings were held.

They were also welcomed to meet with all the department heads, to learn about what they do, how they contribute to county government, what their responsibilities include and why it is important to the overall health of York County. Commissioners Randy Obermier and Joe Burgess stayed in the commissioners’ meeting room after their meeting, to meet with the different groups.
The groups toured the different offices – county attorney, public defender, court offices, county clerk, county assessor, veterans’ services officer, etc. They also met with the roads department, National Guard, emergency management and York County/Nebraska Extension at stations they had set up inside the courthouse.
Students said a highlight of the day centered around law enforcement and emergency response.
They were able to tour the York County Jail, led by the sheriff’s department’s Josh Gillespie and Jordan Dickson, while also conversing with corrections director Janelle Vice. They were able to see the inside of temporarily vacant inmate cells, the inmates’ exercise area, the commercial kitchen where the inmates’ meals are prepared, the visiting stations, the booking room and holding cells.

They also toured the high-tech 911 emergency communications center, where they learned about the intricate work emergency dispatchers do. The students’ questions were not only smart and insightful, they also led to extensive conversations about how dispatchers are trained and what it takes to be successful in that difficult career.
As one group, they convened in the courthouse basement’s training center where Sgt. Taylor Samek with the York County Sheriff’s Department and K-9 officer Justice provided a demonstration. Samek hid methamphetamine in a container, which Justice promptly found and alerted to its presence. Samek’s commands to Justice – which were in different languages – garnered a lot of questions as Samek explained how this particular dog (as most of their K-9 officers) came from Europe where initial training was done in languages other than English.
Justice also provided pure entertainment, being a beautiful and well-trained girl as she is, besides her obvious talent.
Sgt. Samek and Captain Gillespie also provided a presentation of photos and videos showcasing large amounts of illegal guns, drugs, cash and other items seized during traffic stops in York County. Sgt. Samek also talked about the many aspects of the sheriff’s department’s duties, different scenarios deputies have found themselves in and the importance of protecting society through upholding the law.

The students ate lunch, provided by JW’s Catering, right after the K-9 demonstration and Sgt. Samek’s presentation.
The event is organized by the veterans’ services office.
York County Veterans’ Service Officer Nick Wollenburg said he was pleased with the interaction students had with officials, department heads and staff over the course of the morning.
“I think they really got a lot of out of it,” Wollenburg said. “There was a lot of good conversation, they asked really good questions and I really appreciate all the county heads and elected officials for taking the time to help educate the students on what takes place in government at the county level.”