KU News Release

KU to honor 51 seniors from high schools in Anderson, Franklin counties Oct. 8

LAWRENCE — Students from six Kansas high schools will be honored Wednesday, Oct. 8 by the University of Kansas Alumni Association and KU Endowment.

A total of 51 seniors from high schools in Anderson and Franklin counties will be recognized for their academic achievements and named Kansas Honor Scholars at a 6:30 p.m. dinner program at St. Rose Philipine Duschene, 514 E. Fourth, in Garnett. KU alumni volunteer Terry Solander of Garnett will also be honored with a Mildred Clodfelter award in recognition of longtime support of the Kansas Honors Program.

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 Mike Davis, senior vice president of alumni programs.

KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway 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 $11 each.

Community volunteers collect reservations, coordinate details and serve as local contacts for the event. The site coordinators are Charles and Margy Porter of Ottawa. Solander is coordinator for Anderson County.

The Mildred Clodfelter Alumni Award, created in 1986 by the alumni association, honors volunteers who serve as KU ambassadors in their home communities. The award is named for Clodfelter, who received a bachelor’s degree in 1941 from KU and worked at KU for 47 years, 42 of them at the alumni association. Clodfelter, known to countless Jayhawks nationwide, retired in 1986 and passed away in 2005.

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

Honorees are listed here by their high school.

Anderson County High School: Megan Bledsoe, Cynthia Brown, Amanda Bures, Matthew Crome, Stacy Eichman, Miranda Naylor, Arlo Osler, Jordan Rickabaugh, Reagan Rockers, Brittni Sayers and Mackayla Wells

Central Heights High School: Baylea Hartman, Ellie Ouellette, Lyndsay Scheckel, Clint Schulte, Brandi Swoverland and Monica Wuertz

Crest High School: Kerry Stoneking and Tanner Strickler

Ottawa High School: Samantha Adamson, Jamie Allan, Jacob Allen, Trevor Barth, Jennifer Birzer, Kaylee Carter, Briana Finch, Andrea Fouts, Zachary Gaudet, Eritrea Habtemichael, Michelle Jamison, Harley Knudsen, Kara McFarland, Chris Nicholson, Jay Patel, Corisa Rakestraw, Alexandra Rogers, Shelby Titus, David Tyner and Laurie White

Wellsville High School: Ashley Bolen, Amy Dickey, Sarah Her and Katie Wootten

West Franklin High School: Nichole Bradley, Mary Elizabeth Duda, Rose Griffin, Leah Kennedy, John Kirkpatrick, Cody Miller and Michelle Nelson

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