KU to honor 69 seniors from 8 southwest Kansas county high schools

LAWRENCE - Students from 15 Kansas high schools will be honored Wednesday, Oct. 1, by the University of Kansas Alumni Association and KU Endowment.

A total of 69 seniors from high schools in Clark, Comanche, Ford, Gray, Hodgeman, Kiowa, Meade and Ness counties will be recognized for their academic achievements and named Kansas Honor Scholars at a 7 p.m. program and reception at Dodge City High School, 2201 W. Ross Blvd., Dodge City.

Since 1971, the Kansas Honors Program has recognized more than 125,000 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 36 programs that reach all 105 counties across the state and include approximately 360 high schools.

During the ceremony, each student will receive a Webster’s New College Dictionary and a commemorative certificate.

Nathan Thomas, vice provost for diversity & equity at the University of Kansas, will speak to the students and their parents and guests.

Community volunteers collect reservations, coordinate details and serve as local contacts for the event. Carson Robinson, of Dodge City, is the site coordinator and also serves as the coordinator for Ford and Ness counties. Jon Bigler, of Ashland, is the Clark County coordinator. Liz and Chris Ballard, of Haviland, are Comanche and Kiowa county coordinators. Philip and Patricia Ridenour, of Cimarron, are Gray County coordinators. Richard Sorem, of Jetmore, is the Hodgeman County coordinator. Lynn Chance, of Fowler, is the Meade County coordinator.

The Kansas Honors Program is made possible by KU Endowment and proceeds from the Jayhawk license plate program. The Class of 2015 scholars:

Clark 

Ashland High School        
John Spare - Ashland
Emily Sprunger - Ashland

Minneola High School       
Joey Harrington – Minneola
Jayda Minor - Minneola

Comanche  

South Central High School
Abby Gales – Coldwater
Caitlyn Gates - Coldwater

Ford

Bucklin High School          
Adam Carr – Bucklin
Haylie Pegelow - Bucklin
Janae Price – Bucklin

Dodge City High School    
Jessica Alarcon - Dodge City
Jannet Balderrama - Dodge City
Drew Adam Chance - Dodge City
Kaitlyn Claire Demuth - Dodge City
Stephen Grant Diell - Dodge City
Edgar Rafael Duarte - Dodge City
Rose Kim Duong - Dodge City
Thomas Joseph Finley - Dodge City
Hannah Ruth Harrold - Dodge City
Mindy Thuy Huynh - Dodge City
Sarah Jane Interman - Dodge City
Diana Lopez - Dodge City
Riley Jean Lopp - Dodge City
Gabriela Martinez - Dodge City
Olivet Martinez - Dodge City
Sandra Mendoza Solis - Dodge City
Flor Maritza Mercado - Dodge City
Kameron Leon Miller - Dodge City
Macy Anne Mock - Dodge City
Mariana Morales - Dodge City
Joyce Hangia Ngo - Dodge City
Kenny Nguyen - Dodge City
John Jacon Oldham  - Dodge City
Jhett Lynn Ostrom - Dodge City
Alondra Julisa Romo - Dodge City
James Thomas Royle - Dodge City
Armando Rubio - Dodge City
Chandra Elliott Sain            - Dodge City
Hannah Jo Savage - Dodge City
Terry Solis-Galvez - Dodge City
Joshua Adam Stapleton - Dodge City
Irwin Martin Torres Marino - Dodge City
Victor Manuel Valdez-Herrera - Dodge City
Socorro Campos Vega, Jr - Dodge City
Karen Aleja Velasco Ontiveros - Dodge City
Jacob R Waldman - Dodge City
Camryn Nicole Williamson - Dodge City
Whitney Renee Winter - Dodge City

Spearville High School     
Kaden Stein - Spearville

Gray

Cimarron High School      
Charise Friesen – Cimarron
MacKenzy Meis – Cimarron
Jessica Wehkamp - Ingalls

Ingalls High School           
Mariah Escarcega - Ingalls

South Gray High School   
Cassy Watson – Montezuma
Emily Wright - Montezuma

Hodgeman  

Hodgeman County High School 
Greta Bauer – Burdett
Kaitlynn Ellison – Hanston
David Nuss - Jetmore

Kiowa

Kiowa County High School
Cole Kendall – Greensburg
Miranda Kimble – Mullinville
Tosha Tuttle - Haviland

Meade          

Fowler High School           
Hannah Heinz – Fowler
Aaron Shumard – Fowler
Rhyan Elliott – Meade
Rainna Reimer – Meade
Moriah Ross - Meade

Ness

Ness City High School      
Kaitlyn Dinges - Ness City
Sara Dreiling - Ness City
Alyssa Wierman – Brownell
Braden Mishler - Arnold