ANSLEY, Neb.— Ryan Olson, a fifth grader at Ansley Public School, is one of seven students statewide selected as a finalist for Nebraska’s Kid Governor program. The civic education program gives students an opportunity to develop leadership skills, learn about government and advocate for issues they are passionate about.
Olson’s campaign focuses on concussion awareness and brain safety, an issue that became important to him after experiencing a concussion himself. He hopes to help other students better understand the signs of a concussion, recognize when something might be wrong and feel comfortable speaking up.
He pointed to activities such as riding bicycles and e-bikes and playing football as situations where kids can potentially suffer a concussion without immediately recognizing it.
His three point action plan includes creating a Brain Safety Team, educating students about concussions and encouraging them to take action when they recognize a potential problem. Olson envisions the Brain Safety Team helping spread reminders throughout schools, potentially through morning announcements over the intercom. One message he wants students to remember is that sitting out after a potential concussion isn’t weak, it’s smart.
“If you start feeling dizziness during the day after you hit your head, go tell your teacher that you’ve been feeling dizzy,” Olson said.
View our full interview with Olson at the end of this story
Olson was nominated for the program by Ansley teacher Stephanie Evans, who said his thoughtfulness and passion for the things he cares about helped make him a good candidate. Evans described him as someone who thinks before speaking and is genuinely a good student. She also said his classmates have been encouraging throughout the process, offering positive feedback as he advanced to the final seven.
“I truly feel that schools need to step up and do this,” said Evans. “Nominate a kid every year, get them involved now because these kids are our future for today.”
All seven finalists will have a role in the program in 2027. The elected governor will work to advance their campaign platform while the other six finalists serve on a cabinet working on their passions as well. They will all stay in close contact and work together to connect with fellow students across the state during their January through December 2027 term.
Juan Milan, Civic Education Manager, said one of the most rewarding aspects of the program has been watching students realize they don’t have to wait until adulthood to make a difference. Civic Nebraska provides guidance and support while allowing the students to lead the work to turn their three point campaign plans into achievable projects.
“During our first year, Cabinet member Alma from Laurel collected more than 600 hygiene items for local schools. That’s a concrete example of a student identifying a need and taking action,” said Hé. Community impact serves as a measure of success, but so does the confidence and skills students develop through the experience.
Olson said that the voting has taken place by his fellow fifth graders across the state who watched the seven candidate videos and that the wait is on to find out next week who will be Nebraska Kid Governor.
You can learn more about the Nebraska Kid Governor program and watch all of the candidate campaign videos at this link.
