KU News Release

KU to honor 51 high school seniors from nine northwest counties April 2 in Oakley

LAWRENCE — Students from 15 Kansas high schools will be honored Wednesday, April 2, by the University of Kansas Alumni Association and KU Endowment.

A total of 51 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. (Central time) dinner program at the Northwest Kansas Educational Service Center, 703 W. Second St., Oakley.

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 Megan Hill, coordinator for alumni programs for the KU Alumni Association.

David Johnston, director of marketing and Internet services for the KU Alumni Association, will speak to the students and their 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 $12 each.

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