Curiosity is fueling a trip by five North Platte High School students to the first Nebraska Bigfoot Conference this weekend.
Princess Saguban has had an interest in the legendary creature, and when she saw an ad about the conference, she knew she had to go.
“Honestly, I thought it would be really cool because we don’t really have an opportunity to do a convention like this, especially about Bigfoot,” Saguban said. “I think it would be really fun to just look around and learn about what other people’s views are and what prompted them to explore the unusual world of Bigfoot.”
Fellow students Jake Reed, Bryce Lee, Josie Koubek and Haley McKain all agreed. The group will leave early Saturday for Hastings to attend the conference that begins at 9 a.m.
Organizer Harriett McFeely, of Hastings, has been a longtime believer in Bigfoot and claims to have seen a family of the creatures on a trip to central Colorado in 2014.
Some of the NPHS students are skeptical but are open to hearing about Bigfoot.
“I don’t know if Bigfoot’s real or not,” Reed said. “I’m not going to say it’s not real, because I don’t know. I’m not a scientist. But I’m not going to say he is real, because there’s no definite proof that he is real.”
The students are all members of the Bulldogger journalism staff and will report on their experience when they return.
All indicated they are looking forward to the adventure.
“I’m going because … well, he needs a ride,” Lee said with a laugh, referring to Reed. “I’m excited to experience it and to hear other people’s stories about how they got sucked into the Bigfoot world. I want to be able to understand why they’re so passionate about it.”
Lee said from talking with McFeely, it’s definitely something she really enjoys.
“I might be missing out on something I could be enjoying,” Lee said. “I’ve watched the TV shows and always thought ‘probably not.’ but I’m going in with an open mind.”
Koubek said she is skeptical as well.
“I’m kind of skeptical, but I’m also curious,” Koubek said. “Meeting people with a different point of view on it is going to be interesting too.”
At first, McKain said, “it kind of started out like a joke.”
Saguban “was reading the ad in the paper and I was like, ‘Heck yeah, let’s go find Bigfoot,’” McKain said. “But these are people who genuinely believe there’s a Bigfoot or species of Sasquatch.”
There are a lot of questions, the students say, but they are looking forward to the trip. “I think there is a possibility,” Saguban said. “Who knows. We have a big world.”
Jeffrey H
1st! Good for the students to get out and explore the woods with an open mind that they could possibly see a Sasquatch. It’s better for them then watching tv or playing video games. Good luck to them on their search for Sasquatch.