KU News Release

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

A total of 60 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 the Golf Club at Southwind, 77 Grandview Drive, in Garden City.

The Kansas Honors Program began in 1971 and has honored more than 107,000 students. Scholars rank in the top 10 percent of their high school senior classes and are selected regardless of occupational plans or higher-education goals. Honorees are listed below.

During the ceremony, each student will receive an American Heritage Dictionary, in both hardback and electronic versions, presented by Nikki Epley, director of reunions for the KU Alumni Association.

Bernie Kish, director of facilities and lecturer for the Department of Health, Sport and Exercise Science, 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. County coordinators are Dana Nanninga, Garden City, for Finney and Kearny counties; Debbie Campbell, Garden City, for Finney and Kearny counties; Rob Gale, Syracuse, for Hamilton County; and Kathy Larkin, Garden City, for Finney County.

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

Deerfield High School: Megan Danler and Wade Turrentine

Garden City High School: Aaron Allen, Rosaleen Amante, Cindi Arteaga, Cheyenn Bemis, Aimee Brandt, Madeline Christner, Veronica Diaz, Alfredo Diego, Luke Dinkel, Chinwe Ekweariri, Noe Garcia-Mendoza, Chelsea Gerber, Jaimie Johannes, Rachel Klaus, Nicholas Koerner, Andrew Larkin, Jace Larsen, Gloria Ledesma, Leticia Lira, Robbie Lucas, Bianca Martinez, Kristen Miller, Darcy Milligan, Haylee Nguyen, Lynn Nguyen, Nancy Nguyen, Abigail Ortiz, Tanner Parr, Ryan Petersen, Jose Quezada Morales, Amanda Ramirez, Javier Reyes, Kyle Rupp, Paige Russell, Sydnee Sassaman, Carly Schmale, Kashly Schweer, Rachael Swank, Whitney Wells and Tyler Wright

Holcomb High School: Mitchell Gaede, JaCee Jarnagin, Alyssa Oller, Tiffany O’Rourke, Amanda Parks, Kristen Parks, Samantha Ricard, Autumn Schobert and Katelyn Symmonds

Lakin High School: Amy Dunn, Jodie Jennings, Samantha Kysar and Dylan Shalberg

Syracuse High School: Tate Housholder, Tate Lampe, Darrin Simon, Adam Zuzelski and Alex Zuzelski