Leavenworth High School Awards

LHS Odyssey of the Mind Team Takes First in Regional Competition

March 3, 2008
Leavenworth High School students head to State after winning first place in Regional Odyssey of the Mind competition on March 1, 2008.

Odyssey of the Mind challenges students from kindergarten through college to solve problems and present their solutions creatively.

LHS team members are senior Cara Di Marco, junior Mary Lowry, sophomores Bethany Bond, Taylor Bowie, Elizabeth Lowry, Molly Sevcik, and freshman Brian Lee. Five of the students competed on Patton Junior High School’s OM teams, and three have progressed from state to world finals in previous years.

The long-term problem the students elected to solve is titled “The Eccentrics.” It requires teams to create and present a humorous performance about three eccentric characters who solve a team-created "problem" within an Earth system -- the atmosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, geosphere, or hydrosphere – and launch a new fad in the process.

The project solutions, their style, and the team’s creative answers in the Spontaneous portion of the contest, are scored and the combined scores determine who wins at each level of competition.

State competition will be held March 29, in Manhattan, Kansas.

Gina Hanson Selected to All-State Choir

March 4, 2008
Gina Hanson returned from the Kansas Music Educators Association (KMEA) Convention in Wichita, Kansas, as a member of the 2007-2008 All-State Choir. She was the only singer in Leavenworth County (counting all 5 high schools in the county) to make this choir.

Gina is a 3-time member of the Northeast District Honor Choir, an incredible accomplishment since it includes all of the Kansas City, Shawnee Mission, Olathe, Blue Valley, Lawrence, and Topeka high schools.

Amber Pike made the All-State Choir as an alternate. Congratulations to them both!

JROTC Wins VFW National Convention Drill Meet

20 August saw another example of Pioneer Pride by JROTC cadets from Leavenworth High School. On that day 27 members of our color guard and honor guard teams competed in the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention Drill Meet, held this year in Kansas City. They took first place honors in both Honor Guard with, and without weapons, prevailing over teams from as far away as Georgia. At the awards ceremony last night they were bestowed even higher honors, overall National Champions in both the men’s and women’s JROTC categories. They received those awards in front of delegations from all 50 states, and on the spot where President Bush will be standing today to address those same people.

Several things made these victories extra special. Held one week after the start of the school year, team building and practices had to take place during the summer and in the first week of school. Many of the team’s members are first year drillers and the anxiety was high as they prepared to take the drill floor. They completed their routines with pride and determination. You could readily see a combination of relief and accomplishment as they exited the drill floor. They knew that their hard work and can do attitude had allowed them to attain something that was the day before a distant possibility.

Congratulations to the Yellow Ribbons of Cavalry and the Yellow Legs of Cavalry for their first place honors as the VFW National winners of the Honor Guard without and with weapons and overall VFW National Champions. A mighty Hooah and "Go Pioneers."

State Music Awards

May 2, 2007
LHS musicians brought home 16 gold medals from State Solo and Ensemble music competitions last week.

The Women’s Ensemble (Tori Birdsell, Catherine Brown, Janiece Collins, Erin Darley, Molly Hadfield, Gina Hanson, Lacey Henry, Leah Logan, Erin Scalard, Megan Swisshelm, Roni Tavis, and Lindsey Wepking) received gold medals for their I rating (the highest rating given). Lacey Henry received a Gold Medal for her I rating in Vocal Solo. Also, Lacey just received a scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, one of the most prestigious music schools in the nation.

LHS clarinetists Rebecca Stapher and Samantha Hendren also brought home gold medals. Rebecca, a junior, played ‘Scene and Air’ by Michael Bergson. Samantha, a sophomore, played ‘Fantasy Piece’ by Robert Schumann.

Newspaper Staff Commended

May 2, 2007
Congratulations to The Patriot staff for a strong showing at the Journalism Educators of Metropolitan Kansas City spring awards night. Editor-in-Chief Liz Lovell and the staff earned an honorable mention award for the school newspaper's overall design. The paper received the highest rating possible in 10 of the 12 categories. The judges commented that The Patriot had strong headlines and an active, engaging voice, along with a strong mix of stories and good visual appeal. Jenny Hunter earned an honorable mention award for her single-page design "Living in America," with help from story author Cecilie Kiilerich. Kelly Garity also received an honorable mention award for her feature story "Behind the Scenes," which detailed the role of those who serve as technicians during drama performances.

In addition, Patriot staff member Kayla Wildy was one of 20 students selected from around the country to attend the University of North Carolina High School Diversity Workshop, sponsored by the Chuck Stone Program for Diversity in Education and Media. The all expense paid, weeklong workshop includes a reporting and writing program, classroom study, newsroom practice, and professional mentors. Kayla was selected based on her academic record, journalistic experience, career goals, and a 500-word essay describe how her own diversity contributes to her community.

Track Team wins Outstanding Team Trophy and Kansas Cup at Kansas Relays

April 21, 2007
The Pioneer Track & Field Team won the outstanding team trophy at the KU Relays. This trophy was awarded to the team who scored the most points of all the teams at the KU Relays, which included teams from Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas. The Lady Pioneers also came home with the Kansas Cup which is awarded to the Kansas team with the most points scored. The 4 x 200 relay team of Bayzell Davis, Lashada Sims, Karina Expose and Kendra Bradley set a new school record and Kendra Bradley set a new school record in the 400 meters.

Kansas City Star's Best High School Bowler Award

April 19, 2007
Cynthia Veney was voted Best High School Bowler by the Kansas City Star. In Leavenworth's debut bowling season, Veney captured the state championship. From the Star: "Veney won the girls portion of the inaugural Sunflower League tournament, won a regional championship and finished her first varsity season as the best in the state. . . . A sophomore, Veney stole the show at the state tournament with games of 257, 216 and 224. Not only did Veney beat the second-place girls finisher by 78 pins, but her 697 series topped the entire 6A boys field, as well. . . . Making Veney’s accomplishments even more impressive is what they meant for the team. The Leavenworth girls, in the school’s first season of varsity bowling, went undefeated on the way to the 6A team championship." Bowlers Veney and Shanice Brown also made the Star's First Team All Metro. Selections were made by members of the Star's high school sports staff, who consulted coaches ballots.

Technology Student Association Competitors Going to Nationals

April 14, 2007
The Leavenworth High School TSA Team traveled to Colby last week to compete in this years State competition. All fourteen students placed in the top ten. Ryan Gregoire placed 1st in Transportation Modeling. Ryan also placed 5th in Architectural 3-D Animation. Bem Pelletier placed 1st in Architectural 2-D drafting and 1st in Architectural Animation. Bem also placed 3rd in Technical Sketching and Application for the second year in a row. Bem also placed in the top ten in construction systems. Lily Akins and DeeAnn Turpin placed 1st in Agriculture and Biotechnology Design. Zach Carter, Jessica Hollinsworth, DeeAnn Turpin and Spencer Walker placed 1st in Engineering Design. Jessica Hollinsworth and DeeAnn Turpin placed 1st in Medical Technology. All the students placing 1st at the State level will be eligible to compete at the National TSA competitions in June in Nashville. Logan Ortiz placed 2nd place in Architectural 2-D drafting. He was also the partner with Bem Pelletier placing in the top ten in Construction Systems. Chris Odom, Diana Toro, and Nick Wesson placed 3rd in Architectural Model. Justin Walter and Sarah Niles placed 4th in Architectural Model. Diana Toro placed 4th in Extemporaneous Speaking. Jacob Peterson placed in the top 10 in Dragster Design and Engineering 3-D drafting. Congratulations to all students for your great work, and to sponsors Ruth Foster and Linda Thompson.

Regional Music Awards

April 14, 2007
A cappella Choir, A cappella women and Lacey Henry all received superior (1) ratings at the Regional Music Festival this past weekend. They brought home 34 gold medals and are headed to State!

Kansas Association of Broadcasters "Best Documentary" Award

LHS's Video Productions Class won Best Documentary at the recent Kansas Association of Broadcasters competition. Competing against all of the high schools in Kansas (1A through 6A), “Tribute to Leavenworth Veterans” won first place for Best Documentary against forty-seven entries in that category. David Thomas, Patrick Gorski and Eric Steele filmed and edited this amazing video. “Lunch Me,” a news segment promoting the LHS Cafeteria by Caleb Kneuven, Clint Gersema and Jon Reynolds, won Honorable Mention in the News category, where nearly eighty entries were submitted. The Kansas Association of Broadcasters Awards are among the most prestigious and largest contests available to high school film students.

Grants Awarded

Three Leavenworth Public Schools Education Foundation grants were awarded at LHS on September 12, 2006. Congratulations to these awardees:

Great Western Manufacturing/Wood Oil Company Battalion Saber Team—Leavenworth High School, LTC David Black, impacts 1,400 students per year for 20-25 years, $3,492. The Battalion Saber Team, a ceremonial team that uses Army Officer Sabers in their performance of duties, represents the ROTC Unit, Leavenworth High School and the school district at many local and away performances throughout the year. The team exemplifies leadership, discipline and esprit de corp. The quality of the sabers reflect the honor and dedication of the unit. Each saber will be engraved “Presented by the Leavenworth Public Schools Education Foundation.”

Luxury & Imports/Walmart Store Café Spec-i-al-i-T—Leavenworth High School, Tricia Haney, impacts 40 students, $660. Café Spec-i-al-i-T provides mentally challenged students with the hands-on opportunity to transfer skills that are taught and practiced in the classroom to realistic life situations. The students budget, plan, shop, prepare, and serve a meal to customers. Café jobs include shoppers, cashiers, servers, cooks, food preparers and cleanup staff. The students also decorate and set the tables.

Reilly & Sons, Inc./Geiger Ready Mix Pioneer Pride Program—Leavenworth High School, Amy Sloan and Brenda Parker, impacts 1,400 students, $5,000. The PRIDE Program will kick off its fourth year at LHS funded by the Foundation. This student led program is designed to recognize students who make a commitment to academics, attendance and behavior and encourage school pride. The program seeks to enhance reaching goals with positive rewards and recognition and raise self-esteem and self-worth.

Lady Pioneer Track Team are State Champions Again

Leavenworth High School's Lady Pioneer Track and Field team went undefeated for the third year in a row in 2006, and added yet another 6A Track and Field State Championship to their long list of awards. Congratulations, Lady Pioneers! Placing at state and contributing to the 82 points that made Leavenworth number one:

LHS wins second at State GPML Contest

Leavenworth High School students won second place at the state level in Great Plains Math League contest at Johnson County Community College on Saturday, April 22, 2006. Students had to earn a qualifying score at a Great Plains Math League contest during the school year to be invited to the competition. LHS students placed in both individual and team competitions. Senior HoYong Choi led the point scoring for Leavenworth. He finished second among seniors in the Sprint Round, an hour-long test on which students are permitted to use a calculator. He was one of three seniors who tied for first place in the Target Round, but was ranked third by computer item analysis. The Target Round does not permit calculator use. Senior Steven Davis finished sixth in Sprint and seventh in Target. Ian Tracy earned third place among juniors in the Target Round and fifth in the Sprint. Junior HoUng Choi was fourth in Target and sixth in Sprint. Sophomore Traci Kohl earned third place among sophomore qualifiers in the Sprint round and fourth in the Target Round. HoYong Choi, Davis, and Tracy won second place in the Relay Round. All five students teamed up to place third in the Team Round and fourth in the Power Question Round.

DECA Students Qualify for National Contest

Leavenworth High School students were recognized in the State of Kansas DECA competition. Donnie Hampton won first place in Apparel and Accessories Marketing. Andres Pazos and Donnie Hampton placed second in the International Business Plan Event. Kyle Coppola finished sixth in Food Marketing. Robbie Bristow placed ninth in Vehicles and Petroleum Marketing. Hampton and Pazos will be advancing to the national competition in Dallas, Texas, at the end of April.

Record number of AIME qualifiers

Ten Leavenworth High School students qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination by scoring 100 or more points on the American Mathematics Competition’s 2006 AMC-12 tests. On the AMC-A, junior Ian Tracy led with 112.5 points, seniors Haley Kreutzer and Michael Langley each scored 103, Lauren Riddle 102, and HoYong Choi and Steven Davis 100.5. On the AMC-B, senior HoYong Choi led with 112.5 points, followed by junior HoUng Choi with 109, senior Tyson Demarest with 108, and juniors Hyunji Kim 101 and Christopher Barry 100.5.

Eight more students scored 90 or more points on the AMC12-A: Christopher Barry, Warren Beck, HoUng Choi, Travis Connell, Tyson Demarest, Chenavia Dickerson, Hyun-ji Kim, and Tommy Tracy. On the AMC10, open to students grade 10 and younger, three LHS students scored 90 or more points: Traci Kohl, Ryan Gregoire, and Carmel Cheatham.

To compete in the AMC, top math students in schools across the country take 75-minute, 25-question examinations. Students advancing to the next level will take a 3-hour, 15-question exam on March 7.

Senior Earns University's Most Prestigious Scholarship

Senior Rebecca Bullock recently was awarded a full scholarship to Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa, in a ceremony at LHS on February 10, 2006. The Prestigious Honors Scholarship is Graceland's largest, worth more than $90,000 over four years, and awarded to one student each year. Rebecca impressed the scholarship selection committee with her presence, sincerity, articulate and mature responses, and of course, her credentials. The Graceland University campus has an international flavor that appeals to Rebecca, who is planning to major in global studies/international relations. University President, former ambassador John K. Menzies, who attended the ceremony, was Chief of the U.S. Mission in Kosovo from 2000-02. He was also ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1994-96 and deeply involved in the peace negotiations which ended that bloody conflict.

LHS Scholars' Bowl Team Earn Regional Championship

Leavenworth High School became 6A Regional Scholars’ Bowl champions on Thursday, February 2, and earned a trip to the state tournament at Wichita North High School on February 11. Seniors Steven Davis, Rebecca Bullock, Tom Tracy and Melissa Lisenbee and Junior T.R. Reese won first place in their pool with a 4-1 record. They defeated Washburn Rural High School in the semifinals in a match that was tied going into the last question of the round. In the finals, they overcame Lawrence High School 70-40. Lawrence Free State High School took fourth.

Davis Named Candidate for US Presidential Scholars Program

Steven Davis is the first Leavenworth senior to be recognized as a candidate for the United States Presidential Scholars Program, established by Executive Order of the President in the mid 1960’s to recognize and honor some of the Nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors. In the next phase of the competition, 500 candidates will be named semifinalists, after having submitted information such as academic achievement, personal characteristics, leadership, service activities, and an essay. Then in June, up to 141 Presidential Scholars will be honored for their accomplishments during the program’s national recognition events, held in Washington, D.C.

Coca-Cola Scholarship semifinalist

LHS senior Laura Romig has been selected as one of 2,000 semifinalists from a pool of more than 50,000 applicants nationwide for a Coca-Cola Scholarship. In the next round of competition, she will compete to be one of the 250 students who will be named finalists. Congratulations, Laura! Good luck in the next stages of this competition!

Strano Named Coach of the Year

August 8, 2005
Lady Pioneers head coach Tamra Strano was recently awarded the title of Kansas girls' track and field coach of the year for the third time. She also won the award in 1994 and 1999 (and coaches are ineligible for four years after winning). Competing with the largest schools in Kansas, the Lady Pioneers have won an unparalleled eight state championships, including a record six from 1996-2001. The Lady Pioneers have been the champions or runners-up in the Sunflower League in 19 of 24 seasons and have placed in the top two at the regional meet in 20 of 32 years.

Leavenworth Times article

Military Academy Appointments and ROTC Scholarships

May 23, 2005
Five Leavenworth High School students received appointments to military academies and eight were awarded ROTC scholarships during Senior Honors Night on Saturday, May 21. Academy appointments were awarded to Scott Schultz (United States Military Academy), Thomas Hastings (United States Naval Academy), Cassandra Whitworth (United States Coast Guard Academy), James Griffith and Saras Yi (United States Air Force Academy). Air Force ROTC awarded scholarships to Hunter Sheaks, Ross Harrison, and Nicole Ryan. Army ROTC awarded scholarships to Robert VanWey, Kyle Kunkel, John Irvine, Victoria Suprin, Conor Brennan and Brett Mereness.

2006 National Merit Scholarship Program

April 21, 2005
Congratulations to the following LHS students who have met the requirements to enter the 2006 National Merit Scholarship Program: Tyson Demarest, Deanna Hogan, Melissa Lisenbee, and Lauren Riddle. Each of these students was among the 50,000 highest scoring participants of some 1.3 million program entrants. This honor is earned by the score they received on the PSAT test in October of 2004. Of more than 50,000 students offered this opportunity, about 16,000 will be named National Merit Program Semifinalists, representing the top scorers in each state. Semi-finalists and Commended students in the 2006 program will learn of their standing in September 2005 when notification is sent to the schools and students, and Semifinalists will continue in the competition for the 8,200 Merit scholarship awards to be offered in 2006.

Video Broadcast Wins State

Kansas Scholastic Press Association hosted their state tournament at KU May 7, 2005. Nine Leavenworth High School journalism students competed in five categories, and six of those students placed in their contests. LHS students took home two of the six awards for video broadcast. This was their fourth year in a row to win in this category. Barbara Smith (senior) won second place for her photographs of our school cafeteria in action. Kyle Curry (senior), Haley Kreutzer (junior), and Caleb Knueven (sophomore) placed first for their group video package on eating healthy at lunch. This is Curry's fifth win this year and Kreutzer and Knueven's second. Erin Mulcahy (junior) and Patrick Gorski (sophomore) won honorable mention for their group video package on the same subject.

Musicians Earn Superior Ratings at 6A State Music Festival

Fifty-five members of LHS's music program earned I (Superior) ratings at Regional competition and qualified to attend the Class 6A State Music Festival. At the state festival, held at Emporia State University April 30, 2005, they earned an unprecedented 43 gold medals. Ensembles earning I's included a woodwind ensemble (Heidi Christensen, Maryann Sanders, and Lauren Wepking; the a cappella men's ensemble, a cappella women's ensemble, and a cappella men's sextet. Solo performers earning I's include vocalists Laura Bohne, Dominic Johnson, Lacey Henry, and Saras Yi, French horn soloist Kyle Lemmon, and Jason Lemmon on both trumpet and piccolo trumpet.

Choir Earns I's at State Large-group Competition

LHS's a capella choir earned I ratings (superior) from all three judges at State Large Group competition in April 2005.

Cisco Networking Competition

The Cisco Networking team attended networking competition at Fort Hays State University in April 2005 and took first in Router Configuration and in Networking Jeopardy. They took second in Network Design.

SkillsUSA Technology Competition

LHS students captured five medals at the Kansas SkillsUSA conference held April 6-8 in Wichita. In the architectural drafting event, a three-hour computer-aided drafting test, LHS students captured the top three places. Senior Ian Thomas took home a gold medal and will advance to national competition. Senior Vikki Suprin was awarded the silver and Lyndsey Bates earned the bronze in the event.

Senior Jordan Pemble earned a bronze medal for safety and junior Kila Naipo won a bronze for computer maintenance technology.

Thomas, Suprin, Bates, and Pemble are students of LHS drafting teacher Ruth Foster. Naipo is a student of Tim Gilbert, an instructor with the Northeast Kansas Technical College who provides classes to Leavenworth High School students.

Leavenworth Times article

Prudential Spirit of Community Finalist

In his application for the Prudential Spirit of Community Award, LHS senior Shawn Bryant stated, "...I have gained a deep sense of responsibility for others. I feel compelled to share my knowledge and to encourage young children to refrain from tobacco use. As an anti-tobacco advocate I am aware of the health risks associated with tobacco and am committed to making a difference in the lives of others." Shawn Bryant has been an activist all of his life and recently submitted his work to a national recognition program through Prudential Financial.

Shawn was recognized on Friday morning, April 15, 2005, in an auditorium filled with his senior classmates as John Herriage, Prudential financial planner, shared of the time and energy Shawn put into his cause. Mr. Herriage presented Shawn with a Prudential Spirit of Community Bronze Medallion for outstanding community service. Shawn was one of four Distinguished Finalists in the Prudential Spirit of Community competition.

Shawn's work in the community does not end with his youth tobacco prevention efforts. He is also committed to working with the American Cancer Society, and has been instrumental in supporting handicap accessible playground equipment through his group "Against the Odds." Shawn's efforts have recently taken him to the community activist level as he has been working with City Commissioners on policy issues regarding smoking and restaurants.

Leavenworth Times article

Kansas Association of Broadcasters

Six LHS students have been recognized for excellence in broadcast journalism, for video entries created in this year's LHS video broadcast class. Awards were determined by KAB, a professional organization for the broadcast journalism industry. Each year KAB hosts a spring contest for state colleges, universities and high schools.  An award ceremony will held on Tuesday, April 5, 2005, in Wichita.

Caleb Knueven (sophomore) has won first place for his "Anti-drinking" public service announcement (PSA) in the Thirty-second Commercial, PSA category. Kyle Curry (senior) won second place for his "Anti-drinking" PSA in the Thirty-second Commercial, PSA category and second place for his "Triumph of Blue" feature in the Complete Sports Feature category. Haley Kreutzer (junior) earned Honorable Mention for her "You Can Still Have Fun" PSA in the Thirty Second Commercial, PSA category.

Kreutzer, Josh Luttrall, Erin Mulcahy, and Patrick Gorski (juniors) earned Honorable Mention for their "Budget Crisis" news segment in the Hard News Package category. The Word staff (as a whole) Honorable Mention for their Second Entertainment Broadcast of the year in the Entertainment Program category.

District Teacher of the Year

Linda Schukman, LHS Language Arts teacher, had a surprise of balloons, silly string, and flowers on Thursday, March 17, 2005 as she was notified of her selection as Leavenworth Teacher of the Year. She was one of 55 teachers nominated for the first ever formal Teacher of the Year process in Leavenworth. Schukman was selected as the secondary teacher representative for the Leavenworth district. She and 15 other teachers submitted application at the local level, to then move forward in the Kansas Teacher of the Year process. Schukman has taught at LHS for 16 years and is involved in many improvement efforts at the school and in the district.

Leavenworth Times article

Technology Student Association

Two LHS students qualified for national-level Technology Student Association competition by finishing in first place in events at their first-ever state contest in March, 2005.

Senior Vikki Suprin finished first in a computer-aided drafting and design (CADD) animation architectural drafting competition. Suprin also won second place in CADD architectural 2D drafting.

Junior Brian Bonebright earned a first-place finish for a written test taken as part of a knowledge bowl contest. He also won second place with junior Ryan Snyder for an entry in a prototype manufacturing contest.

Senior Travis Keppler also earned a second-place spot for a technical sketching and applications contest.

Drafting teacher and TSA sponsor Ruth Foster noted that students who finished in second place may advance to national competition if the person who won first cannot attend to represent the state.

Leavenworth High School students also earned a few fourth- and fifth-place finishes. Other Leavenworth High students competing at the state conference were Bem Pelletier, Josh Lira, Matt Inch and Ian Thomas.

Leavenworth Times article

LHS Homecoming Queen wins State Homecoming Queen Honors

2004 Homecoming Queen Toni Reynolds was named Kansas Homecoming Queen on March 13, 2005. She will represent Kansas in the America's Homecoming Queen pageant July 14 through 19 at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif.

Reynolds also recently signed with Ottawa University to play volleyball.

Leavenworth Times article

LHS Student Wins at Japanese Language Contest

Sophomore Ben McMillan won first place in the Kana Bee at the 7th Annual Mid-America Japanese Language Contest on March 5, 2005. The contest allowed students from seven high schools and several colleges to compete in six events: Kana and Kanji bees and calligraphy competition at different levels, as well as skit performance, poetry reading, and essay contests.

Leavenworth Times article

Academic All-State Basketball Team

Senior Matt King has been selected to the Academic All-State Team by the Kansas Basketball Coaches’ Association.

LHS Alumni Win Athletics Honors

Simien named Big 12 Player of the Year
Wayne Simien, a 2001 alumnus of LHS and senior at the University of Kansas, has been selected basketball “Big 12 Player of the Year."
Wagner named to Missouri Valley Conference All-Academic Team
Lucious Wagner, 2000 graduate of LHS and senior at Evansville University, has been selected to the Basketball “All-Academic Team” in the Missouri Valley Conference. Lucious was also 2nd in the Missouri Valley Conference in assists and 7th in scoring.
Jennings named Heartland Conference Volleyball Player of the Year
Kecia Jennings, a 2001 graduate of LHS and junior at Rockhurst University, has been selected volleyball “Heartland Conference Player of the Year” and 2005 ESPN Magazine “Academic All-American.” Kecia is currently earning a 3.97 GPA while majoring in Biology. She was #1 in the conference in assists and was named First Team All Region Setter at the National Tournament. Rockhurst has been to the National tournament the past 3 years, finishing twice in the Sweet Sixteen and last year in the top 24. They are currently ranked #21 in the Nation in Division II.
Bunch Ranked #1 in Division I Wrestling
Shawn Bunch, 2001 graduate of LHS and senior at Edinboro University, is currently ranked #1 in the nation in the 133 lb weight class for Division I wrestling with a record of 33-1.

Kansas Scholastic Press Association Regional Competition

Four LHS journalism students won honors at the 2005 Kansas Scholastic Press Association's Regional Competition at KU. These students will compete against other regional winners in the State competition May 7.

National Merit Finalist

Courtney Clinkingbeard was recently notified that she is a National Merit Finalist! Only 8000 top students across the country (of about 1.3 million who compete) reach this stage of the competition which begins with the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

En Fuego Film Festival

Senior Kyle Curry won Best of Show at the En Fuego Film Festival on Friday, February 4 at the Lawrence Arts Center. Curry's "Triumph of the Blue" won acclaim as the top Class/Project Film and was the highest rated film in any of the seven En Fuego competition categories. The film was a highlight compilation of the Pioneer Football 2005 season. Curry received an En Fuego trophy for each of his wins.

Other LHS students winning honors were sophomore Caleb Kneuven and freshman Justin Benefiel. Kneuven was a finalist in the comedy category for his film "Dr. Man." Benefiel was a finalist in the music video category for "Haunted."

En Fuego is sponsored by the Lawrence Free State Firebird Productions video class and is open to all schools in Northeast Kansas. Over 100 entries were submitted and only 8 won top honors. The other categories of films were drama, comedy, commercial, music video, elementary film, and intermediate film.

Central States Marching Festival

Congratulations to the Pioneer Band for receiving a superior rating of 1 at the Central States Marching Festival Competition on Saturday, October 2, at Kansas State University.

National Merit Scholar Semi-finalists Named

Three seniors have been named National Merit Scholar Semi-finalists based on their performance on PSAT/SAT tests. Courtney Clinkingbeard, Matt Vinson, and Beth Sutherland scored better than 99% of the college-bound students who took the the tests in 2003-04. Vinson and Sutherland moved away from Leavenworth during the summer of 2004 because the military transferred their families.

Grant Winners

Teachers at Leavenworth High have been awarded grants by the Leavenworth Foundation for 2004-05 projects.

State of Kansas Scholarship Contest

Leavenworth High School took third among class 5A and 6A schools competing in the State of Kansas Scholarship Contest for 2003-04. Individual students who placed at the state level include Maria Calhoun (first in literature and in spelling for grade 11), Beth Sutherland (first in English for grade 11), Catherine Ward (third in Literature for grade 12), and Lauren Riddle (third in spelling for grade 10).

Individuals placing at the class level (against students in Kansas 5A and 6A schools) include Maria Calhoun (first in literature 11 and spelling 11), Catherine Ward (first in literature 12 and second in English 12), Joy Mapes (first in literature for students who have taken at least one college-level class), Courtney Clinkingbeard (first in English and second in literature for students who have taken a college-level class), Thayer Lafleur (second in algebra II), Tristan McKinney (second in plane geometry), Ian Tracy (third in plane geometry), Lauren Riddle (second in spelling 10), and Krystal Parker (third in calculus).

In addition, the following students earned honorable mention for scoring in the top 15% in the state: Beth Sutherland (literature and spelling), Joe Wittenburg (literature); Rachel Rimmerman (English and spelling); Melissa Lisenbee, Lauren Riddle, Maria Calhoun, Haley Kreutzer and Elizabeth Lovell (English); Courtney Clinkingbeard, Dee Hogan, Elizabeth Lovell, and Catherine Ward (spelling); Donnie Hampton, Tristan McKinney, and Matt Parker (algebra II); and Brian Palmer (American history).

Topeka Model United Nations

Rebecca Bullock won honorable mention best delegate as a General Assembly delegate from Ukraine in the Topeka Model United Nations on March 1 and 2, 20zen of the Year. Congratulations to these seniors for many years of academic achievement and service to their school and community.

Students appointed to Teen Star staff

Congratulations to LHS students Kyle Curry and Andrew Winetroub, who were appointed to the Kansas City Star's Teen Star staff in the fall of 2003.

Presidential Classroom Scholars Program

Seniors Andrew Winetroub and Mary Melton attended Presidential Classroom Scholars Programs in Washington, D.C., in 2003. During their weeklong stay in the nation's capitol, they attended session meetings, participated in caucuses, met with Kansas state representatives, and toured the White House and the city.

Grant Winners

Leavenworth High School Teachers Bob Hart, Bruce Palmer, John Pretz, Fred Davids, Amber York, Heather Langfoss, Josh Floetke, Jody Holston, Nancy McKinney and Nancy Klemp were $3,100 by the Leavenworth Foundation for a Geiger Ready-Mix Company Summer Science Camp. The purpose of this summer science camp is to stimulate student enthusiasm for science. Seventh and eighth graders will experience hands-on projects, field trips, nature trail adventures and enrichment material. The camp will include an Astronomy Day, Chemistry Day, Ecology Day, Wildlife Rescue Center Day, Herpetology Day, Museum of Natural History Day, Nature Trails Adventure Day, Microscope/Biology Day and Invention Day.

Teacher Joyce Schrimsher with a grant proposal entitled "Building Healthier Lives, One Step at a Time" was awarded a $756 grant named for donor Edward Reilly/Reilly & Sons, Inc. This program, in an effort to raise awareness of the benefits of physical exercise, adds pedometers to a nutrition/wellness class. The pedometers will be used to track student progress toward a goal of ten thousand steps a day. Students will determine the number of steps necessary to burn the calories in various snack foods and generally focus on a healthier lifestyle.

A grant named for donors MidAmerican Bank and Trust Company and Great Western Manufacturing Company in the amount of $3,250 was awarded to Student Leadership (Sponsors Amy Sloan and Brenda Parker) to establish a Renaissance Pride Program at Leavenworth High School. The Renaissance Pride program is designed to recognize students who make a commitment to academics, attendance and behavior. The program will enhance school pride by inspiring student spirit, promoting academic success and encouraging teacher enthusiasm.

Newspaper staff wins high rating from KSPA

Kansas Scholastic Press Association awarded the 2002-03 Newspaper staff their highest rating for a school newspaper: the All-Kansas.

The newspaper was critiqued in 5 categories: Coverage, Design, Leadership, Writing, and Visuals. The final evaluation stated, "This is a quality newspaper that would compete well at any level. Staff demonstrates a solid understanding of the school newspaper and its place in the curriculum. The newspaper features solid reporting and writing skills. Staff designers are obviously aware of how to best enhance a news package and to present it to the readership in a most conducive manner."

The highest marks were received for Leadership and Coverage. In the area of leadership the evaluation stated, "It is readily apparent to the reader that this newspaper leads rather than follows. It is evident in the content as well as the style of the opinion pages. A full range of offerings enhances these pages for the readership." In the area of Coverage the evaluation stated, "Coverage is complete and thorough and helps to tell the story of the school year in both words and photos. Staff indicates an obvious awareness of what makes news and presents that information in each issue to its readers."

Kansas Scholastic Press Association Video Broadcast Competition

The Kansas Scholastic Press Association awarded Shannon Moran, Andy Henshaw, and Kim Starkey an Honorable Mention award in the State 6A Video Broadcast competition. The group produced a two-minute long story package on school finance. First through third place awards are given as well as two Honorable Mention awards. The team received the only 6A video broadcast award in the KC Metro area.

Journalism Educators of Metropolitan Kansas City Awards

The Journalism Educators of Metropolitan Kansas City gave four LHS students awards for work they have done for the Patriot student newspaper:

State Basketball Tournament Sportsmanship Award

The Leavenworth High School basketball teams were recognized by the Kansas State High School Activities Association for outstanding sportsmanship. Teams were judged on the behavior of cheerleaders, school cheering section, adult and non-high school followers, team and coach, with the guiding principle being Rule 52: "Win with character and lose with dignity." The LHS girls' basketball team was awarded a plaque and medals and was the only 6A girls team to be recognized. The boys' team was also recognized.

SkillsUSA-VICA State Competition

Four LHS students medalled in State SkillsUSA-VICA competition at Wichita Area Tech on April 4, 2003. In architectural drafting, Tyson Thomas took the silver medal and Daniel Mease took the bronze medal. The students designed a house plan using CAD software during a two-hour session and then created a house plan manually using a drafting board to compete in the event. In computer maintenance and repair, Zach Waite took the silver medal and Andrew Toro took the bronze medal. Both of these students completed the computer repair coursework at LHS and are currently earning credit while working in internships in local industry.

Toyota Tapestry Grant Awarded to LHS Teachers

A Toyota Tapestry Mini-grant was awarded to Mr. Fred Davids (project director), Mrs. Amy Sloan, and Mrs. Nancy Klemp for a Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularis) project. Students involved in the project will care for, breed, and collect data from two colonies (three females and one male in each colony) of leopard geckos. Some of the data gathered and graphed will include body weight and body length on a weekly basis, incubation temperatures, and genetic probabilities.

Odyssey of the Mind Competition Winners

Leavenworth High School students won first place in regional Odyssey of the Mind competition in March and third place in the state of Kansas in April with their solution to the problem "Put a Spin on It." Team members were Melissa Thomsen, Vikki Suprin, Gillian Bryant, Joshua Toellner, Jonathan Shaw, Lauren Riddle, and Jessica Whittamore.

Kansas Scholastic Press Association Regional Competition

Shannon Moran, Andy Henshaw, and Kim Starkey won second place with an episode of "The Word" in the category "broadcast news" at the regional KSPA competition at the University of Kansas on February 21, 2003.

KU Engineering Expo Winners

Leavenworth High School students were honored in February 2003 by the Engineering Student Council at KU for computer programs written for the Engineering Expo's Programming Challenge. Andy Poland won the prize for Best Program with a Visual Basic program. The C++ program written by Adam Chura, Mindy Edgar, and Poland won the prize for Best Error Handling. Judging was based on both successful operation and programming style.

Garvey Scholarship Winner

Senior James Atwell placed first in Washburn University's Garvey Competitive Exam on February 1, 2003, and has been awarded the maximum scholarship of $2000 (renewable each year).

Voice of Democracy

Junior Maggie Finney finished in first place in local Voice of Democracy competition through the American Legion and will progress to the regional level.

Stock Market Game

The Stock Market Game team of Darren Denney and Mark Darling, juniors at LHS, ranked first in the region and the state out of 47 teams playing in the fall 2002 session.

NSCAA High School Team Academic Award

The Boys' Soccer Team, coached by Rob Herringer and Mike Robinson, received honors from the NSCAA for exemplary performance in the classroom as a team during 2001-02. The team was one of 101 boys' teams across the United States to have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale. LHS's cumulative average GPA was 3.48. For more details, click here.

State Scholars' Bowl

LHS's 2001-02 scholars' bowl team, coached by Ginger Riddle, placed second among all 6A schools in the state of Kansas. Varsity team members Andrew Duncan, Nathaniel Jones, Matthew Smith and Matthew Steele faced questions from all subject areas in the state tournament at Wichita East High School in January 2002.

Grant to Science Department

Congratulations to Chemistry teacher Bruce Palmer, who was awarded a grant of over $2800 from the Leavenworth Public Schools Education Foundation for the purchase of a CBL and probes. CBLs are instruments that serve as a link between probes that gather data and graphing calculators that store and manipulate the data. Changing the probe changes the type of data gathered, mimicking dozens of different types of instruments. These two instruments also display the data and have applications in the areas of physics, biology, botany, algebra and calculus. Initially 450 students in chemistry and physics will benefit.

Contact information

Administrators, coaches, and teachers should notify Mrs. Riddle of teams, teachers, or students who should be recognized for their outstanding performances.