What Brought You to Pierce?
A New Beginning in a Town Deb Koehlmoos Can Call Home
By Cameron Kuehler
When Deb Koehlmoos left her teaching position at Dodge, she had no idea that a small town in Nebraska would become the place she would call home. Having spent three rewarding years of her teaching career at Dodge, she desired something more unique, something which would provide a perfect blend between a close-knit community and a dynamic school environment.
“I had taught three years at Dodge, and I absolutely loved it there,” Koehlmoos recalled. “But I went to school at Wisner-Pilger, and my class had about 80 students. I thought that was the perfect size. So, I started looking for schools that were about that size.”
Pierce, with its sophomore class size of only 97 students, was perfect at the time for Koehlmoos. It was not too big and not too small—just the perfect size.
Though she had only planned to stay in Pierce temporarily, something made her reconsider once she arrived. The town's charm, the friendly atmosphere, and the close-knit community quickly drew her in. The temporary choice turned out to be permanent to remain with the school and the people.
“I didn’t expect to be here this long, but Pierce has become home. The people here really take pride in their town, and they come together when there’s a problem. It’s a great place to live and work,” she admitted with a smile.
Despite her fondness for Pierce, there are areas she believes could be improved, particularly when it comes to housing. “I’d love to see the town grow more, especially in terms of available housing,” she said. “There are people who want to move here, but sometimes there isn’t enough housing for them.”
Koehlmoos likes how there are plenty of activities around the town. Some of those things include pickleball/tennis court, basketball court and even the parks.
With her decision to move to Pierce, Koehlmoos has no regrets. The move turned out to be more than just a career shift—it became a personal journey, one that led her to a place where she could thrive professionally and make a lasting impact on the students and community she serves.
“I’ve been really lucky to find a place like this,” she said. “I came for the job, but I stayed for the people. Pierce has become my home.”
What Brought You to Pierce- Anne McKeown
By Brayden Suckstorf
Anne McKeown moved to Pierce to be closer to her family, where her husband Jeremy is from. They heard good things about Pierce and wanted to give their children a solid education in a small town.
McKeown enjoys being around her family. She also enjoys the community and the slower pace of life that comes with living in a small town. Being near family was a huge benefit, allowing her children to grow up with strong support.
One concern McKeown dislikes is the heavy focus on sports here in Pierce. While she understands the value of athletics, she feels that other activities, like music, theater, and academic clubs, do not receive the same attention or resources.
“I don't like that there is so much emphasis on sports, and I feel that there are other activities in the school that should be equally treated,” McKeown stated.
An advantage of moving to Pierce would be the education “Being a small town, you don't have the issues you have to deal with in a place like Norfolk,” McKeown says would be an advantage of moving to Pierce.
She believes Pierce offers a good education and avoids many of the issues that larger cities like Norfolk have to face such as overcrowded classrooms and limited individual attention. Still, she wished the town could find a way to balance its priorities, ensuring that students with different talents and interests were equally supported.
What Brought You to Pierce
By Rylee Altwine
Pierce is a town with around 1800 people. About every year a new family joins the community and contributes in some way. Having lived in Pierce for many years, Kortany Dvorak was quick to answer questions about the town she was welcomed in.
Coming from Wausa, Kortany moved to her husband Shelton Dvorak's hometown of Pierce. When asked about what she likes most about Pierce she replied, “The community and how close we all are.”
One of the only things she does not like about Pierce is “When the city doesn’t move the snow.”
There are many assets to the community, but one that sticks out to Kortany is the small town businesses.
Kortany Dvorak is proud to say she has been a part of a wonderful community and she is excited to see what the future holds for the town of Pierce.
What Brought Grant Doerr to Pierce
By Zane McKeown
Grant Doerr settled in Pierce because the town was "just what I was looking for" both for him and his wife. The very close proximity to their home and his wife's job meant that it was a very convenient location. There also happened to be a teaching job in Pierce, which Doerr had been looking for. It was his first choice to become a teacher in Pierce.
When Doerr got to Pierce, he loved its culture and communities. He found the town to have a blue-collar and agricultural atmosphere mixed up with hard-working people, most of them students. This made him feel that the values of the town meshed with his.
However, one thing bothered him about Pierce: the lack of housing developments and space to expand. This could be a downside, but it did not take away all the good things from the town.
Doerr thinks that people coming into Pierce will enjoy the small-town atmosphere with hardworking people. He thinks this is a huge asset for a town with great schools and the basis of academics as well as extracurricular activities.
To Doerr, Pierce was the ideal place to settle down and start his career in a community that shares collective values.
What Brought You to Pierce
By Alanna McKeown
Bruce Brester has always loved the charm of a small town. He grew up not far from Pierce in Howells. So when an opportunity popped up for him to work at a bank in Pierce, he did not hesitate.
“I love that everybody in Pierce is friendly and is there to help out each other,” Brester says.
He likes the small town atmosphere.
Brester and his wife Julie have three children. Brester’s oldest son, Kale, is a freshman in high school and enjoys hanging out with his friends.
K. Brester says, “I think our biggest assets of Pierce are the Dollar General and the school districts.”
“People have to want to live in a small town,” B. Brester states. “But once you do, it’s hard to imagine life anywhere else.”
For the Brester family, Pierce became a home they loved everything about.
