KU News Release

KU to honor 61 high school seniors from three southwest Kansas counties Oct. 21

LAWRENCE — Students from five Kansas high schools will be honored Tuesday, Oct. 21, by the University of Kansas Alumni Association and KU Endowment.

A total of 61 seniors from high schools in Finney, Hamilton and Kearny counties will be recognized for their academic achievements and named Kansas Honor Scholars at a 6:30 p.m. dinner program at Southwind Country Club, 77 Grandview Drive, Garden City.

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.

During the ceremony, each student will receive an American Heritage Dictionary in hardcover and CD versions, presented by KU Alumni Association representative Jamie Winkelman, assistant director of alumni programs

Mike Davis, senior vice president of alumni programs for the 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 $15 each.

Community volunteers collect reservations, coordinate details and serve as local contacts for the event. The site coordinator is Rebecca Crotty of Garden City. County coordinators are Dana Nanninga and Debbie Campbell, both of Garden City, for Finney and Kearny counties; Rob Gale Jr. of Syracuse for Hamilton County; and Kathy Larkin of Garden City for Finney County.

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

Honorees are listed below by high school.

Deerfield High School: Chelsea Barry, Brett Crandall, Rebekah Isaac and Noemi Navarrete

Garden City High School: Irma Ailon, Dylan Barbery, Brittany Barrett, Ayrika Bennett, Lauren Deaver, Kaitlyn Dechant, Javier Dela Rosa, Lilia Flores, Allison Gouldie, Aleasha Greene, Ashley Hahn, Catherine Harder, Lauren Harness, Krista Kopper, Ricardo Leal, Mark Linenberger, Becky Luetters, Jennifer Luong, Shannon McNeill, Leslie Miller, Daniel Moreno, Marc Anthony Murillo, Peyton Nelson, Christina Nguyen, Rosie Nguyen, Tiffany Nguyen, Nancy Parra, Karissa Prentice, Meranda Ramos, Alice Richmeier, Abraham Rodriguez, Alejandra Romero, Ryan Ryman, Jorge Saldana, Stephanie Sauseda, Logan Schultz, Katharine Shadrick, Cara Shrimplin, Brandon Stucky, Serina Tran and Isaac Unruh

Holcomb High School: Stephanie Asmus, Melissa Conway, Keith Leonard, Natira Mullet, Rebekah Pena and Ana Salazar

Lakin High School: Zachary Anthony, Elyssa Blackburn, Becca Landgraf, Victor Moreno, Paul Roberts, Kirstie Rooney and Jessica Winegeart

Syracuse High School: Marisa Howell, Natasha Phoenix and Justin Roberts

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