# Capitol workers form human flag for America 250 celebration  
**Published:** 2026-06-25T21:55:46.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/25/nebraska-capitol-staff-judges-elected-leaders-take-creative-steps-to-salute-america-250/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/capitol-workers-form-human-flag-for-america-250-celebration

LINCOLN, Neb. — Judges, state lawmakers and employees representing all three branches of Nebraska government gathered on the steps of the State Capitol on Thursday to form a human American flag as a tribute to the nation's 250th birthday.

About 200 people donned red, white and blue clothing, many wearing flag-colored ponchos, to arrange themselves in the shape of Nebraska while paying homage to the American flag, according to [the Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/25/nebraska-capitol-staff-judges-elected-leaders-take-creative-steps-to-salute-america-250/). The photo will be sent to the Nebraska State Historical Society as part of the state's semiquincentennial promotion.

The patriotic display drew more than twice as many participants than initially expected, according to Roxanne Smith, tourism supervisor for the Office of the Capitol Commission. Some tourists who happened to be visiting the Capitol also joined in the moment.

"People are excited, proud of working in the building and just wanted to be part of a Capitol-wide celebration," Smith said.

Participants included Chief Justice Jeffrey Funke of Nebraska City and Justices William Cassel and Stephanie Stacy of the Nebraska Supreme Court; state senators Rob Clements of Elmwood and Rita Sanders of Bellevue; and former state Sen. Suzanne Geist, who now works in the Nebraska Attorney General's Office.

State Sen. Clements, who chairs the Legislature's Appropriations Committee, made a special trip to Lincoln for the photo. He said he was glad all three branches of government could gather together for the moment. "I think it was a really good idea, real patriotic occasion," Clements said. "A way for us to display a tribute to our country."

Sanders, chair of the Legislature's Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, said she made a point of attending. A 1976 high school graduate, Sanders remembers the bicentennial celebrations of that era. "God bless America," she said. "What a great place to live and a good time to be alive."

The photo shoot grew out of a casual conversation between Smith and Sally Schultz, a committee clerk for the Legislature. The brainstorming led to the human flag formation concept, with Schultz securing flag-colored ponchos and star cutouts for participants.

The Capitol's tribute comes ahead of [the state's major America 250 celebration in Seward](https://america250.nebraska.gov/), located 25 miles west of Lincoln. [Seward is "America's Official Fourth of July City—Small Town U.S.A."](https://visitnebraska.com/have-blast-seward) by a 1979 congressional resolution and has hosted the state's Independence Day celebration nearly every year since 1868. [The town is hosting over 125 events](https://www.julyfourthseward.com/) on Independence Day weekend this year, including concerts, a grand parade and fireworks.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/25/nebraska-capitol-staff-judges-elected-leaders-take-creative-steps-to-salute-america-250/)
- [Nebraska America 250 website with Seward celebration details](https://america250.nebraska.gov/)
- [Visit Nebraska information on Seward's Fourth of July celebration history](https://visitnebraska.com/have-blast-seward)
- [Seward Fourth of July official website](https://www.julyfourthseward.com/)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/25/nebraska-capitol-staff-judges-elected-leaders-take-creative-steps-to-salute-america-250/.