KU News Release

KU to honor 36 high school seniors from four south-central Kansas counties

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

A total of 36 seniors from high schools in Barber, Harper, Kingman and Pratt counties will be recognized for their academic achievements and named Kansas Honor Scholars at a 6:30 p.m. dinner program at Chaparral High School, 467 N. State Road 14, in Anthony.

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 Stefani Gerson, coordinator of student programs for the KU Alumni Association. Jonathan Earle, associate director of the Dole Institute of Politics, 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. Ron Giesen of Anthony will be site coordinator. Bob Slinkard of Medicine Lodge will be Barber County coordinator. Debra Meisenheimer of Kingman and Charles Holcomb of Cunningham will be Kingman County coordinators. Cindy Keller and Marcia Suiter, both of Pratt, will be Pratt County coordinators.

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.

Attica High School: Kylee Hermann

Chaparral High School: Cord Denton, Austin Hughes, Jennifer Kiser and Trevor Starks

Cunningham High School: Brian Stackhouse and Jessica Watkins

Kingman High School: Morgan Hawkins, Tate Henry, Haley Miller, Lindsey Smith, Shannon Weniger, David Williams and Kristen Wollen

Medicine Lodge High School: Natalie Archuleta, Elaine Eck, Kevin Kirkbride, Danielle Morford, Seth Oldham, Kaitlyn Traffas

Norwich High School: Ashley Balzer and Brian Rhodes

Pratt High School: Darnell Bortz, Marina Dobbs, Jake Garrett, Caleb Gillig, Paul Harris, Cody Hullman, Bryce Krehbiel, Christopher Nicholson, Zachary Pixler and Nathan Southard

Skyline High School: Katie Becker and Heather Domsch

South Barber High School: Kelsie Johnston and Kaitlyn Morris

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