KU to honor 81 high school seniors from 7 Western Kansas counties

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

A total of 81 seniors from high schools in Finney, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny Lane, Scott and Wichita counties will be recognized for their academic achievements and named Kansas Honor Scholars at a 6:30 p.m. dinner and program at Garden City High School, 2720 Buffalo Way, Garden City.

Since 1971, the Kansas Honors Program has recognized over 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.

Sarah Crawford-Parker, assistant vice provost for the first-year experience at the University of Kansas, 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. Dana Nanninga, of Garden City, is the site coordinator as well as the coordinator for Finney, Hamilton and Kearny counties. Kristi Schmitt, of Scott City, is the coordinator for Scott, Lane and Wichita counties. Dalene Moser, of Tribune, is the Greeley County coordinator.

The Kansas Honors Program is made possible by KU Endowment and proceeds from the Jayhawk license plate program. The Class of 2016 scholars are:

Finney

Garden City High School

David Acosta - Garden City

Zackary Alegria - Garden City

Alejandra Alonso-Olivas - Garden City

LaRae Boaldin - Garden City

Megan Bordewick - Garden City

Jeremiah Castillo - Garden City

Tania Cisneros Cisneros - Garden City

Rylee Crawford - Garden City

Dylan Darter - Garden City

Steven Dennis - Garden City

Rafael Diaz - Garden City

Caitlin Elliott - Garden City

Lauren Evans - Garden City

Rileigh Greathouse - Garden City

Abigail Guerrero - Garden City

McKenzie Hanigan - Garden City

Nova Heydinger - Garden City

Thang Hnin - Garden City

Jessie Johannes - Garden City

Nahum Juarez - Garden City

Peter Keller - Garden City

Kristian Kessler - Garden City

James Koerperich - Garden City

Linh Le - Garden City

Hannah Leiker - Garden City

Isabel Longoria - Garden City

Miguel Lopez-Lemus - Garden City

Jorge Martinez - Garden City

Brianna Mead - Garden City

Hilario Mendez-Vallejo - Garden City

Yajaira Merino - Garden City

Julia Montoya - Garden City

Ashley Morris - Garden City

Joslyn Munoz - Garden City

Nhi Phuong Nguyen - Garden City

Erica Nicholson - Garden City

Shantal Ortiz - Garden City

May Phyo - Garden City

Fanny Rangel - Garden City

Jose Reyes Hernandez - Garden City

Valeria Rodriguez - Garden City

Lucia Saldana - Garden City

Erika Schafer - Garden City

Baily Smith - Garden City

Reagan Swank - Garden City

Vu Vo - Garden City

Holcomb High School

Breyanna Avila - Holcomb

Rachel Foreman - Holcomb

Jordan Jarnagin - Holcomb

Caroline Newman - Holcomb

Regan Roth - Holcomb

Berenise Santos - Garden City

Rylee Staab - Holcomb

Greeley

Greeley County High School

Cassidy Hild - Tribune

Brooke Wineinger - Tribune

Hamilton

Syracuse High School

Kalie Brownlee - Syracuse

Laura Geven - Syracuse

Mallory Horton - Kendall

Ira Kullot - Syracuse

Kearny

Deerfield High School

Ruben Alba - Deerfield

Elizabeth Rodriguez - Deerfield

Mercedez Showers - Deerfield

Lakin High School

Benjamin Anthony - Lakin

Guadalupe Arreola - Lakin

Molly Hendrix - Lakin

Garrison Panzer - Lakin

Taryn Reed - Lakin

Robin Ritsema - Lakin

Lane

Dighton High School

Kiara Budd - Dighton

Tasha Root - Dighton

Maegan Seifried - Dighton

Payden Shapland - Dighton

Healy High School

Timothy Derstine - Scott City

Scott

Scott Community High School

Madison Braun - Scott City

Nicole Latta - Scott City

Alma Martinez - Scott City

Addison Price - Scott City

Christina Tilton - Scott City

Wichita

Wichita County High School

Hayden Goudy - Deerfield

Shyla Mason - Leoti

Evan Ridder - Leoti.