Pender Public Schools holds annual event honoring former teacher

PENDER, Neb. -- Pender Public Schools held a special event throughout Friday for the first time ever.

The school held the ‘Corky Malmberg Annual Science Day' that is a tribute to a former teacher that left a lasting legacy at the school.

Corky Malmberg was a teacher at Pender for many years, but passed away in 2019 from a form of cancer. The event is a 'thank you' for what she was able to accomplish at the school and all of the lives she touched.

Malmberg's daughter Julie Grawe was able to make the trip from Colorado to see the dedication first-hand. She said it's amazing what a small town can accomplish when working together.

"This has been unbelievable, "Grawe said. "The number of speakers, the diversity in science that they're getting in front of kids and just the way communities come together to support this."

Grawe added former students that Malmberg taught years ago were a big part in making the event possible. She said being from a place like Pender is a wonderful feeling.

‘’One of things I've always said is I've been so lucky and proud to be from Pender, Nebraska, and this entire experience has made me feel even prouder," she said. "Quite a few of community members that have helped make today possible are teachers here the school who my mom taught. That connection's been unreal."

The inaugural event was all about getting students involved in science.