The past few weeks this Spring, the Kansas City, Kansas Rotary Club had been busy with a focus on education. And, for the first time in more than two years, we were able to welcome local high school students and educators in person!
As part of its annual Student Scholarship Competition, the Club hosted outstanding high school students from Wyandotte County schools. One female and one male student from each school were nominated by their respective school’s staffs to compete for $1,500 college scholarships. All the students exemplify the highest academic, service and character standards in our community. We can all be proud of these Wyandotte County students, and we are excited about their bright futures.
Pictured below are the students who competed for a scholarship from The Kansas City, Kansas Rotary Presidents’ Foundation.
Pictured from left to right: JaKayla Brown (Sumner Academy), Alexis Gerber (Piper High School), Jazmin Romo (Bonner Springs High School), Luna Marin-Rodriguez (Wyandotte High School), and Asma Haji (J.C. Harmon High School)
Pictured from left to right: Emmanuel Madrid (J.C. Harmon High School), Luis Aguilera-Fernandez (Wyandotte High School),
Alexis Corral (Sumner Academy), Langston Bassett (Piper High School), and John Barger (Bonner Springs High School)
During National Teacher Appreciation Week, the Kansas City, Kansas Rotary Club also honored some very deserving local educators. On National Teacher Day of that week, we presented the KCK Rotary Club’s Educator of the Year Awards. Educators from Wyandotte County high schools were introduced by their respective principals who provided background on each honoree and the reasons behind that individual’s selection as Educator of the Year.
Pictured from left to right: Elizabeth Villanueva (J.C. Harmon High School), Angela Diaw (Wyandotte High School), Amy Adam (Piper High School),
Magan Harrell (Bonner Springs High School), Tyler Heying (Bishop Ward High School), Tracy Carver (F.L. Schlagle High School),
Jennifer Manger (Turner High School), and Elizabeth Bergman (Sumner Academy)
Finally, this past month the Club also received word about from the Hispanic Development Fund announcing the 2022 Class of HDF Scholars. This year’s class of 415 scholars, the largest class in the history of the HDF Scholarship Program, was awarded a record of $896,450 in total scholarships. Through our members and The KCK Rotary Presidents’ Foundation, we raised $4,000 which was matched through Cambio Para Cambio donor funds for a total of $8,000. Because our HDF KCK Rotary Club Scholars attend educational institutions which also provide matching funds, an additional $5,500 in scholarships will be available to the students, bringing the total award for the six newly named HDF KCK Rotary Club Scholars to $13,500!