KU News Release

LAWRENCE — Students from 10 Kansas high schools will be honored Monday, Nov. 1, by the University of Kansas Alumni Association and KU Endowment.

A total of 78 seniors from high schools in Clay, Pottawatomie and Riley counties will be recognized for their academic achievements and named Kansas Honor Scholars at a 6:30 p.m. dinner and program at the Manhattan Country Club, 1531 N. 10th St.

The Kansas Honors Program celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Since 1971, the program has recognized 114,000 scholars, who rank in the top 10 percent of their high school senior classes and are selected regardless of occupational plans or higher-education goals. Each year, the KU Alumni Association and its volunteers host 41 programs that reach all 105 counties across the state.

During the ceremony, each student will receive an American Heritage Dictionary, in both hardback and electronic versions, presented by Jacob Strecker, assistant director of Kansas programs for the KU Alumni Association.

Bernie Kish, director of facilities and lecturer for the School of Education, 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. Toni and Mark Stremel, of Manhattan, are the site coordinators and Riley County coordinators. Lucy Mulroney and Sylvia Mansfield, both of Clay Center, are the Clay County coordinators. Doug and Joyce Elcock, of Wamego, are the Pottawatomie County coordinators.

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

Blue Valley High School: Hannah Pralle and Taylor Winter

Clay Center Community High School: Jori Bloom,
Sydney Crimmins, Clay Griffiths, Thomas Hatesohl, Derek Laughman, Alexandra Nelson, Kassidy Simmons, Joesph Wietharn

Flint Hills Christian School: Elizabeth Harner

Manhattan High School: Kr Azad, Kyle Bachamp, Reggeany Barrios, Reid Buchanan, Trey Connet, Mindi Depaola, Gihani Dissanayake, Caitlin Dye, Erin Eckels, Kristen Everett, Tyler Friesen, Wenting Guo, Kate Haddock, Zachary Heinen, Philip Herman, Shashikiran Kambhampati, Neil Kapil, Taylor Knapp, David Knittel, Rachel Lease, Arianna Levin, John Malmquist, Kylie Martin, Joel Mckinzie, Wren Ellen Michaels, Woojun Park, Jordan Salava, Mercedes Santiago, Sydney Schinstock, Christina Smith, Taehyun Suh, Chelsea White, Zachary Williams, Abigail Wilson, Haley Winter and Julia Yang

Onaga High School: Jamie Fischer, Corbin Mabe and Jordan Reisinger

Riley County High School: Janelle Bailey, Ethan Dhuyvetter, Alexandra Huff, Sarah Inskeep, Amie Sommers and Katherine Vaughan

Rock Creek High School: Ashley Altenhofen, Mandi Blenn, Travis Briggs, Chase Minihan and Macy Umscheid

St. Mary’s High School: Kayla Moylan, Kassidy Robbins and Eric Wietharn

Wakefield High School: Chelsea French, Spencer Mitchell and Abbey Wagner

Wamego High School: Bailey Bettencourt, Brennon Briggs, Mariah Ekart, Sertrice Grice, Sophia Grothe, Laurina Hannan, Abigail Huddleston, Alicia Kilian, Robert McManus, Casey Roberts and Catherine Wethington