A new Lincoln Public School will bear the name of former Nebraska Wesleyan University professor and Nebraska State Poet William Kloefkorn.
The Lincoln Board of Education gave unanimous approval on April 26 to name a new elementary school, "Kloefkorn Elementary School." The school will be built in southeast Lincoln's Vintage Heights subdivision, which is south of Old Cheney Road and east of 84th Street. Groundbreaking was held May 26 with the school expected to open in time for the 2012-2013 school year.
A committee made up of seven citizens and three Lincoln Public School Board members narrowed down a list of 91 names nominated by the community.
"He's more than just a state poet," school board and committee member Kevin Keller told the Lincoln Journal Star. "To me he's almost a Nebraska living legend."
Kloefkorn taught English at Nebraska Wesleyan University for 35 years from 1962 to 1997. He wrote 31 books of poetry including his most recent, "Swallowing the Soap."
Kloefkorn died May 19 at his home in Lincoln. He was 78.