KU News Release

KU to honor high school seniors from four central-Kansas counties Oct. 1 in Salina

LAWRENCE — Students from 13 Kansas high schools will be honored Wednesday, Oct. 1, by the University of Kansas Alumni Association and KU Endowment.

A total of 76 seniors from high schools in Ellsworth, Lincoln, Ottawa and Saline counties will be recognized for their academic achievements and named Kansas Honor Scholars at a 6:30 p.m. dinner program at Salina Country Club, 2101 E. Country Club Road, Salina.

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 hardback and CD versions, presented by KU Alumni Association representative Jamie Winkelman, assistant director of alumni programs.

David Johnston, director of marketing and Internet services at 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 Pat Thompson of Salina. County coordinators are Jim and Joyce Trower, Salina, for Saline County; Bob and Sharron Hamilton, Salina, for Ottawa and Lincoln counties; and Dr. G. Derril Gwinner, Ellsworth, for Ellsworth County.

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

Honorees’ names are listed below by high school.

Bennington High School: Jordan Fief, Jacob Wagner and Elle Williams

Ell-Saline High School: Casey Gorrel, Joshua Kejr and Morgan Lindsay

Ellsworth High School: Jacub Bruning, Tricia Bruning, Jessica Kepka, Gracie Larsen and Ryan Manes

Lincoln High School: Alex Jensen, Brandi Obermueller and Rebecca Wieneke

Minneapolis High School: Emilee Fleming, Dustin Greer, Jacob Klein and Analena Simmons

Sacred Heart High School: Alexa Backman, Derek Fritz, Kirstin Howell, Ashlynn Johnston and Katelyn Schmidtberger

Salina High School Central: Cameron Atwill, Hannah Benyshek, Allison Boaz, Connor Brass, Spencer Brass, Michael Claman, Arien Cox, Chelsi DeTurk, John Herrman, Amanda Heuszel, Grant Hodges, Blaine Knox, Jacob Parriott, Tiffany Rea, David Reid and John Shoup

Salina High School South: Hannah Cochran, Samantha Cook, Jessica Crites, Song Gao, Christi Gulzow, Kirstin Keller, Jordan Lankhorst, Kenneth Lueth, Deanna Millsap, Kasi Mudd, Amanda Neuschafer, Brendan Plante, Skyler Richardson, Erica Riffel, Rex Ritter, Ashleigh Serocki, Callie Vandegrift, Tyler Vanover, Adam Weishaar, Corey Wheeler, Ryan Wofford and Ethan Young

Sylvan Unified High School: Tyler Deutscher and Kimberly Hiitter

Southeast of Saline High School: Caitlin Conley, Trask Engel, Kristi Hargadine, Rachel Pantle, Greg Peterson and Abbey Wilson

St. John’s Military School: Ian Sitarik, Jonathon Frank and William Brooks

Tescott High School: Scott Base and Samantha Walle

Wilson High School: Joshua Dlabal

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