KU News Release

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

A total of 97 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 and program at the Salina Country Club, 2101 E. Country Club Road.

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 Jamie Winkelman, assistant director of alumni programs for the KU Alumni Association.

Steve Hawley, professor of physics and astronomy and former NASA astronaut, 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. Pat Thompson of Salina is the site coordinator. Jim and Joyce Trower of Salina are the Saline County coordinators. Dr. G. Derril Gwinner of Ellsworth is the Ellsworth County coordinator. Bob and Sharron Hamilton of Salina are the coordinators for Lincoln and Ottawa counties.

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

Bennington High School: Chandler Loomis, Shelby Modin, Shelby Strickland and Jacquelyn Wagner

Ell-Saline High School: Bailey Base, Mariah Jones, Michelle Kejr, Jordan Pieschl and Amanda Reed

Ellsworth High School: Jordann Bell, Natasha Bruning, Rochelle Hass, Emily Kralik and Sydni Parsons

Lincoln High School: Taylor Biggs, Kara Cavalli, Alexandrea Feldkamp and Nicholas Wineinger

Minneapolis High School: Dylan Crosson, Emma Giles, Elle Labes and Mackenzie Mortimer

Sacred Heart High School: Theodore Augustine, Allison Balderston, Adam Fritz, Madison Hale, Taylor Kesl, Amy Ptacek, Kaitlin Stein, Aspen Sullivan and Emily Williams

Salina Central High School: Staci Burnett, Bailey Counts, Aaron Davis, Brittany Gapter, Kelsey Hauserman, Thomas Marietta, Grant Martens, Laurel Michel, Mitchell Pruett, William Putzier, Mary Ralston, Thomas Reed, Devin Reese, Logan Schmitt, Jordan Schmitz, Logan Shetlar, Marie Stoss, Macie Tomson, Courtney Train, Phillip Urban, Tyler Walker and Courtney Wiggins

Salina South High School: Logan Antenen, Meagan Ayers, Karishma Bhakta, Katherine Bruns, Cody Campbell, Marina Coberly, Taylor Harner, Carissa Holzworth, Ashley Hrabe, John Jones, Alyssa Kinkelaar, Juliet Korbe, Zachary Lantz, Ben LeValley, Amanda Lohf, Diem T Ly, Lauren Meis, Emily Newquist, Billy Nguyen, Lam Nguyen, Kaitlyn Schwartz, Devin Smith, Scott Snyder, Jessica Stonebraker, Robert Teutsch, John Thompson, Sally Thompson and Andy Wiechman

Southeast of Saline High School: Jason Hahn, Sara Hettenbach, Emmy Meyer, Taylor Peterson, Christine Russell and AnnMarie Sparacino

St. John’s Military School: Enoch Lau, Gary Stone and Nuoya Wu

Sylvan-Lucas High School: Bryant Lovin, Brittyn Naylor and Danielle Pounds

Tescott High School: Tyler Fowler and Chelsea Jonte

Wilson High School: Justine Dlabal and Lacey Major