Weston County Gazette's 2020 Citizen of the Year

By Gazette Assistant Publisher/Editor Nicholas Trandahl

The year 2020 was one of uncertainty, and few, if any, institutions had to juggle that uncertainty more than our nation’s schools. Here in Upton, the schools of Weston County School District #7 served as a model for how to handle these unprecedented challenges. Though he surely and rightfully would credit the entire staff and faculty of WCSD#7 for tackling those challenges, we here at the Gazette would like to give some credit to WCSD#7 Superintendent Clark Coberly, our 2020 Citizen of the Year.

A 1989 graduate of Upton High School, Coberly returned to Upton in 2006 with his wife, Lara, and his two children, Annika and Aidan, after getting his degree at Chadron State University and teaching and coaching elsewhere in Wyoming and South Dakota. Upon returning to the “Best Town on Earth”, Coberly took the helm at Upton Elementary/ Middle School as principal. In 2018, he became the interim WCSD#7 Superintendent, and in 2019 he was officially hired as the Superintendent. Coberly has also been heavily involved in the athletic program in Upton, coaching or assistant coaching Upton’s young wrestlers, baseball players, football players, and tracksters.

Coberly hasn’t only just been involved in the education of Upton students for the last 14 years—he’s also been heavily-involved in several other aspects of the community. Coberly has been a member of the Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church Parish Council, as well as teaching Confirmation and Confraternity of Christian Doctrine classes at the Church. He has also served on the Weston County Development Board, Upton Economic Development Board, Centennial Committee in 2009, has also lent a hand with Upton’s Cub Scout program while it was active, and he currently serves as Vice President of the Upton Chamber of Commerce. In 2014, Coberly was also chosen as the Upton Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year.

Lara works as a librarian aide at the Upton schools, Annika has been attending the University of Notre Dame since graduating from Upton High School in 2019, and Aidan is currently a Junior at Upton High School. Congratulations to Superintendent Clark Coberly, the 2020 Gazette Citizen of the Year.

Our children, school district, and community are very fortunate to have you serving as a pillar of the community, especially during these uncertain times.