KU News Release

LAWRENCE — Students from 10 Kansas high schools will be honored Thursday, April 7, by the University of Kansas Alumni Association and KU Endowment.

A total of 35 seniors from high schools in Graham, Norton, Osborne, Phillips and Smith counties will be recognized for their academic achievements and named Kansas Honor Scholars at a 7 p.m. dinner and program at the Dane G. Hansen Memorial Plaza Community Room, 110 W. Main St., Logan.

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.

Mary Ellen Kondrat, dean of the School of Social Welfare, 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. Dave Rankin, of Phillipsburg, is the site coordinator. Rob Wenzl, of Phillipsburg, is the coordinator for Graham, Phillips and Smith counties. Kevin Baughman and Tom Baumann, of Norton, are the Norton County coordinators. Philip Hardman, of Osborne, is the Osborne County coordinator. Carol Bales, of Logan, also is a coordinator for the program.

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

Hill City High School: Morgan Cade, Erin Deenihan, Marcus Goetz and Lexi Hardiek

Lakeside High School: Audrey Doane and Connor Shoemaker

Logan High School: Brady Tien

Natoma High School: Eric Beiker, Cameron Eickhoff and Khole Mathews

Northern Valley High School: Matthew Dole and Staci Dole

Norton Community High School: Melinda Becker, Maia Carlson, Dakota Dreher, Zoey Meyers, Spencer Shirk, Dustyna Sprigg and Rebekah Streck

Osborne High School: Jerilee Cameron, Jana Eakin, Aubrey Geist and Jessica Gregory

Phillipsburg High School: John Boyington, Cody Kennedy, Kim Nguyen, Trevor Smith, Megan Suchsland and Levi Werner

Smith Center High School: Carley Ohmstede, Kaden Roush, Whitney St. Clair and Sara Timmons

Thunder Ridge High School: KimbraLee Adams and Cory Rahjes