Omaha Honored Longtime School Volunteer

The city recognized a retired educator for her years of service at Rockwell Elementary.

Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Philanthropy

Bold vector editorial illustration of colorful books and pencils on a wooden desk, symbolizing dedication to elementary education. — Omaha Mayor John Ewing awarded the August 2026 Good Neighbor honor to retired educator Sharroll Golka for her extensive volunteer service at Rockwell Elementary. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Omaha Mayor John Ewing presented Sharroll Golka with the August 2026 Good Neighbor award. This honor recognized Golka for her dedicated service to the local educational community.

Why it matters

The recognition highlights the importance of sustained community involvement and the role of retirees in maintaining the educational environment of local schools.

Sharroll Golka dedicated 41 years to her teaching career and has spent 12 years volunteering at Rockwell Elementary. Her service also earned her the 2026 Millard Public Schools Foundation Volunteer Award of Excellence.

The players

Sharroll Golka

She is a retired educator who has dedicated 12 years to volunteering at Rockwell Elementary.

John Ewing

He is the Mayor of Omaha who presented the city's monthly community service award.

The details

After retiring from a 41-year career in education, Golka returned to the classroom at Rockwell Elementary because she missed the school atmosphere. The city selects winners for the Good Neighbor award through nominations submitted via a public website portal.

Sharroll Golka received the Good Neighbor award in August 2026.
The city shifts the focus of the award program to frontline workers in September 2026.

Market Landscape

The story follows the precedent set by the Millard Public Schools Foundation Volunteer Award of Excellence to celebrate local educational contributions. This local acknowledgment underscores the broader trend of municipal entities formalizing recognition programs to boost volunteer retention.

Residents can nominate individuals for the city recognition program through the official municipal website. This provides a direct path for the public to highlight community members who contribute to the local area.

The takeaway

Volunteering in schools offers a meaningful way for retired professionals to remain connected to their former fields of work. Public recognition programs serve as a vital tool for cities to encourage this type of long-term civic participation.