His face stretched into a smile. One of them being his number one supporter, his mom, Kiley Maddux. The day arrived when junior Kasen Warner was recognized for an accomplishment that would set him up for a working future toward his ultimate dream.
On April 8, 2025, at Bellevue East High School, junior Kasen Warner signed with MH Equipment. They are going to pay for their two year degrees in skilled and technical trade areas and pay for a full set of tools.
“My initial reaction, I honestly thought it was a joke, but I was on vacation, so I was pretty happy when I found out,” junior Kasen Warner said. “They said that they were to pay for all my college and all my tools and then give me a job before college.”

MH Equipment, also known as Material Handling Equipment, is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and is one of the largest and fastest-growing material handling service providers in the U.S. Warner gets the opportunity to not only work with MH Equipment, but he also gets to shadow people and explore more of his desired field. This position is part of a structured workforce development program that combines paid internships with full educational support.

“Receiving a full sponsorship for college from MH means the world to our family,”Maddux said. “It’s not just financial support; it’s a huge vote of confidence in our son’s potential and future. It lifts an incredible burden, allowing him to focus fully on his education and growth without the stress of debt. For us, it represents opportunity, hope, and a partnership with a company that believes in investing in young talent.”

Warner has been interested in and worked with cars before. He originally wanted to be a mechanic because he has worked on, fixed, and added to a couple of cars of his own. He does not have a lot of background when it comes to the trade he is going into right now, but it’s a step closer to his goal.
“Over the last year and a half, I wanted to be a mechanic because I had a couple of cars that were not great,” Warner said. “I had to work on them all the time, and it was just fun to me, so I wanted to be a mechanic.”

Since sixth grade, Warner’s best friend, who goes to Millard South High School, Clayton Lynch, has watched and been a part of his journey toward his future. Warner and Kasen work on their cars together.
“He bought an Audi a while ago, and it was not that great when he bought it, but he took that as a challenge and made it the best he could,” Lynch said. “He now has a Navigator, and he is making that thing the best.”

After completing his internship, Warner hopes to eventually have his own shop. His support to do so comes from his mom and Lynch.
“In the next few years, I want to be like actually working for a company, like not interning, just actually working for somebody, and eventually, I want to have my own company,” Warner said. “My support to do this comes from my mom for sure and my friend Clayton. If I ever needed help with anything…he would come and help me or keep me company.”

As a young boy, Warner enjoyed helping out when it came to his family. Warner was described as hands-on as a child and liked to discover new things, which is fitting considering the path that he has now taken.
“He loved everyone and was the sweetest little boy,” Maddux said. “He would help me clean, and he would want to do anything that I did and everything with me. He was witty and hilarious. The things that likely kids would find boring, he finds extremely interesting and loves to figure out problems using his intellect and hands.”

Warner’s mom, Kiley Maddux, is his biggest support system when it comes to his journey. She started off as a single mother and eventually got married. Now that Kasen is a senior, his family, especially his mom, now reflects on the things they’ve learned through this journey.
“I’m proud of how he’s handled every challenge that’s come his way and how he’s stayed grounded even with such a big opportunity ahead of him,” Maddux said. “He’s humble, talented, and has one of the biggest hearts I know. My advice: ‘Trust the journey, not just the destination.’”