Southern Nebraska Register
Spirit Catholic Radio
Pius X High School in Lincoln celebrated being named a 2026 Superstar Catholic School at an all-school Mass May 1.
They earned the top recognition through Spirit Catholic Radio’s annual contest celebrating Catholic education across the region.
Now in its 14th year, the Superstar Catholic Schools contest brings together communities in support of their schools, with public online voting launching during Catholic Schools Week. This year, 119 Catholic schools from across Nebraska, western Iowa, and surrounding states participated, with nearly 8,000 total votes cast.
Pius X stood out in the high school category (361+ students), showcasing strong school spirit, community support, and a commitment to forming students academically and spiritually. A contest milestone was also achieved, with Pius X being awarded the Superstar title for the sixth year in a row.
“The Thunderbolt family is proud to maintain our six-year streak as the KVSS Superstar High School,” said Jeremy Ekeler, chief administrative officer at Pius X. “The honor is a credit to our amazing teachers and staff, as well as our families—they choose Pius X not to just come learn something, but to become someone—a disciple and future saint. Thank you to Spirit Catholic Radio and the Thunderbolt community.”
Eric Svoboda, executive director of Spirit Catholic Radio, said the contest calls to mind the “dedication, commitment, and loyalty in our Catholic schools.”
“We see it with the staff, students, families, and alumni,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun to see everyone pull together and generate excitement about their school.”
As a category winner, Pius X Catholic High School received a championship banner, trophy presentation, and recognition across Spirit Catholic Radio platforms.
Several other diocesan schools were named 2026 Superstar Catholic Schools as well. In the elementary school division, Villa Marie School for Exceptional Students won the category for schools with fewer than 60 students; Lourdes Central in Nebraska City for schools with 126-200 students; and St. Peter in Lincoln for schools with 201-300 students.
In the high school division, Lourdes Central in Nebraska City won the top award for schools with fewer than 100 students and St. Cecilia in Hastings for schools with 211-360 students.
Interviews with winning school principals aired on Spirit Catholic Radio’s “Spirit Mornings” program, to showcase what makes each school community thrive. For more information, visit spiritcatholicradio.com/superstar2026.
