Hanks family recognized with Family Tree Award

The Hanks family tree includes three generations of teachers from the Panhandle.

The late Don Hanks, a native of Sheridan County, earned his bachelor’s in Business Education in 1961, his master’s in 1966, and his specialist degree in 1969 from the University of Northern Colorado.

From 1957 to 1958, he played football and was a member of the undefeated 1958 team inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.

He started his 34-year career in education as a business teacher and coach at Sunflower High School in Mitchell from 1961 to 1963. Following that, he was the superintendent in Chambers and taught business for one year and served as principal for one year in Hyannis. He served as the superintendent of Hemingford Public Schools from 1969 to 1995.

He and his wife, Beverly (Hiles) Hanks, have two adult children, Gene “Mo” Hanks and Paul Hanks.

Beverly earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Studies Education, and a minor in English. While a student, she participated in band and choir and was a member of the Xi Delta Zeta Sorority.

She taught at Hemingford Public Schools from 1971 to 1998 when she retired. Following her retirement, she was a substitute teacher for 15 years.

Mo earned a Business Management bachelor’s in 1990, a Business Education degree in 1995, and a master’s in Secondary Administration in 2003. In 2017, he earned a Specialist degree from Wayne State College.

When Mo transferred to CSC from the University of Northern Iowa in 1984, he became a starter at offensive tackle. In addition to playing football, he threw shot put for indoor track and shot put, discus, and hammer for outdoor track in 1985-86. He medaled in the shot put at every meet and earned six letters.

He is the superintendent of Crawford Public Schools. Previously, he was the secondary principal of Kimball Public Schools, a teacher and coach at Hemingford, Hay Springs, and Oelrichs.

He and his wife, Kristy (Beagle), have two children, Jessica and Beau.

Kristy graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1994 with a double major in Business Management and Accounting. She was an Admissions Ambassador and participated in intramural activities.

She is a Title 1C Service Provider for Education Service Unit 13.

Jessica graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2020 with her degree in Secondary English Education. While at CSC she was president of the Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society, a member of the Sigma Delta Nu Education Honor Society, a peer writing tutor, an embedded tutor for Composition I, an after-school tutor at Chadron High School, and a coaching intern with the Chadron middle School Track and Field program.

She teaches ninth and tenth grade English at Sidney High School and coaches high school girls basketball and middle school track and field.

—Tena L. Cook, Marketing Coordinator