KU News Release

KU to honor 82 high school seniors from eight southwest Kansas counties Oct. 10

LAWRENCE — Students from 16 Kansas high schools will be honored Wednesday, Oct. 10, by the University of Kansas Alumni Association and KU Endowment.

A total of 82 seniors from high schools in Clark, Comanche, Ford, Gray, Hodgeman, Kiowa, Meade and Ness counties will be recognized for their academic achievements and named Kansas Honor Scholars at a 6:30 p.m. dinner program in the ballroom at the Dodge City Community College Student Union, 2501 N. 14th Ave.

The Kansas Honors Program began in 1971 and has honored more than 100,000 students. 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 Heath Peterson, director of Kansas programs for the KU Alumni Association.

KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway will speak to the students, parents and guests. Student Body President Hannah Beth Love of Dodge City will attend the program with Hemenway and alumni representatives and will speak briefly at the program.

In 2004, Love was among the Dodge City Senior High School students honored by KU as a Kansas Honors Scholar. While in Dodge City, Love plans to accompany Hemenway in a visit to her high school. At KU, Love is majoring in American studies and sociology. She is the daughter of Beth Love of Dodge City.

Honored students will be guests of the alumni association and KU Endowment; parents and area alumni are welcome to attend at a cost of $12 each.

Community volunteers collect reservations, coordinate details and serve as local contacts for the event. County coordinators are Robert and Sally McNickle of Ashland for Clark County; Liz Ballard of Haviland for Comanche and Kiowa counties; Philip and Patricia Ridenour of Cimarron for Gray County; Mary Joanne Sorem of Jetmore for Hodgeman County; and Lynn Chance of Fowler for Meade County. The KU Alumni Association will coordinate the event in Ford and Ness counties.

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

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