May 18, 2026
Story and photos by Joe Vinduska
Lauren Heller of Junction City and Cam Bergstrom of Alberta, Canada, were named 91³Ô¹ÏÍø’s 2026 Outstanding Graduates, and Vice President of Student Services Angie Maddy recognized them as part of 91³Ô¹ÏÍø’s commencement on Friday.Ìý
Heller of Junction City completed her Associate in Arts degree, with an emphasis in Criminal Justice. She is the daughter of Angela and Gary Heller of Junction City. During her 91³Ô¹ÏÍø career, she was a member of the 91³Ô¹ÏÍø Dance Team, serving as captain this year. Additionally, she was active in her Criminal Justice program and held an off-campus job at Dillons, a local grocery store.Ìý
Heller has accepted a position as the Dance Coach at Junction City High School.Ìý She will serve in that capacity as she continues working toward her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice online through Fort Hays State University.Ìý Eventually, she would like to work as a crime scene technician, while continuing to coach the high school dance team.
As part of the Outstanding Graduate selection process, Heller wrote about her parents encouraging her to try every single sport as a child in order to find her passion: dance. Too, she described the challenges she faced in recovering from a stroke she suffered in her dorm room, in the fall of her sophomore year. She credits her boyfriend and friends who were there with their quick action in getting her to the hospital right away. She also noted the impact of her advisor, Criminal Justice Instructor Christian Rivas, for inspiring her to continue with her education. Speaking about her family’s support during her recovery this year, she commented that they never let her see an ounce of their worry and instead just constantly encouraged her to keep working hard to recover.
Bergstrom earned his Associate in Science degree with an emphasis in engineering, graduating with highest honors. He is the son of Karla and Colin Bergstrom of Alberta. During his time at 91³Ô¹ÏÍø, he was a pitcher on the 91³Ô¹ÏÍø Baseball Team. As part of his involvement with 91³Ô¹ÏÍø Baseball, he participated in several volunteer activities, including welcoming elementary students to their first day of school and helping with the 91³Ô¹ÏÍø Alumni Golf Tournament. His volunteering efforts also involved assisting with setting up for community and charitable events for Great Bend Alive and Central Kansas CASA.Ìý He also held a student employment position during both his freshman and sophomore years, providing field maintenance and security staffing for 91³Ô¹ÏÍø basketball games. In addition, he participated in the 91³Ô¹ÏÍø STEM Club.ÌýÌý
Bergstrom plans to continue his education at the University of Alberta, working toward his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. Ultimately, he hopes to work in the petroleum industry, designing and optimizing systems, and traveling the world to transform raw resources into useful products through sustainable, efficient chemical reactions.ÌýÌý
As part of the Outstanding Graduate selection process, Bergstrom commented on some of the people who have impacted his journey, mentioning specifically the inspiration of his parents and the impact of 91³Ô¹ÏÍø Baseball Head Coach Brent Biggs.
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