KU News Release

KU to honor top seniors from 15 area high schools April 4 in Oberlin

LAWRENCE — Students from 15 Kansas high schools will be honored Wednesday, April 4, by the University of Kansas Alumni Association and KU Endowment.

A total of 53 seniors from high schools in Cheyenne, Decatur, Gove, Logan, Rawlins, Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas and Wallace counties will be recognized for their academic achievements and named Kansas Honor Scholars at a 6:30 p.m. dinner program at The Gateway, 1 Morgan Drive, Oberlin.

The Kansas Honors Program began in 1971 and honored its 100,000th student this year. Scholars rank in the top 10 percent of their high school senior classes and are selected regardless of curricula, majors, occupational plans or higher-education goals. Honorees’ names are listed below.

During the ceremony, each student will receive an American Heritage Dictionary in hardback and CD versions, presented by Sarah Blaney, Kansas Honors Program coordinator for the KU Alumni Association.

Stuart Bell, dean of the School of Engineering, will speak to the students, parents and guests.

Honored students will be guests of the alumni association and KU Endowment; parents and area alumni are welcome to attend at a cost of $10 each.

Community volunteers collect reservations, coordinate details and serve as local contacts for the event. Kurt Vollertsen, Oberlin, will be the site coordinator as well as county coordinator for Decatur County. Other county coordinators are Mike and Brenda Day, St. Francis, for Cheyenne County; Wade Park, Oakley, for Gove, Logan and Sheridan counties; Charles and Connie Peckham, Atwood, for Rawlins County; Jeff and Nona Mason, Goodland, for Sherman County; and Sharon Steele, Colby, for Thomas and Wallace counties.

The Kansas Honors Program is made possible through KU Endowment and proceeds from the Jayhawk License Plate program.

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The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.