Month: May 2019

Sumner Academy named best high school in Kansas

Sumner Academy, 1610 N. 8th St., Kansas City, Kansas, has been named the best high school in Kansas by U.S. News and World Report.

In the rankings, announced recently, U.S. News and World Report cited Sumner Academy’s 100 percent graduation rate and its 100 percent international baccalaureate participation rate.

Not only was Sumner Academy named best high school in Kansas, it was ranked No. 55 in the nation.

Sumner Academy tied for first place in math and reading performance rank and graduation rate rank nationally.

According to U.S. New and World Report, the 764 students at Sumner Academy are 86 percent minority and 73 percent economically disadvantaged.

The No. 2 school in Kansas was Blue Valley North High School, followed by Blue Valley High at No. 3. Shawnee Mission East High School was ranked No. 4, while Blue Valley West High School was ranked No. 5 in Kansas.

To see more about the rankings, visit https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/kansas.

Blue Devils’ playoff goal: Snap Hesston’s 23-game winning streak

Freshmen, left, Mackenzie Pinkerton (16-10) and Shay Grosstephan (13-6) will carry KCKCC’s pitching hopes into the NJCAA Region VI DII District D playoffs in Topeka Saturday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

On March 30, Kansas City Kansas Community College blanked Hesston 4-0 at Hesston.

The Larks (34-11) have not lost since – 23 straight wins heading into Saturday’s re-match with the Blue Devils in the NJCAA Region VI DII District D tournament at the Hummer South Field in Topeka. First pitch is set for 10 a.m.

A win would advance the Blue Devils (36-18) against the Johnson County-Murray State winner at 2 p.m.; a loss and KCKCC will meet the loser of that game, also at 2 p.m.

The remaining games of the double elimination tourney will be played Sunday starting at 10 a.m. with the winner advancing to the national tournament.

Shay Grosstephan (13-6) will pitch the opener; Mackenzie Pinkerton (16-10) will start the second game. Both are freshmen.

“We’re not going to change a thing,” KCKCC coach Lana Ross said. “Shay beat Hesston; Pinkerton was the winner when we beat Johnson County.”

Grosstephan scattered six hits, striking out six and walking one in the 4-0 win at Hesston. She also had a 2-run home run.

“Shay did a real good job of keeping them off balance,” Ross said. “They were never ever able to get anything together. And we played small ball. I think we may have bunted four times in a row. I don’t know if we’ll do that again; it will depend on how the game goes.”

In 133 innings this season, Grosstephan has given up 156 hits, struck out 69 and walked 53 in compiling a 4.21 earned run average. Pinkerton has pitched 151 innings, striking out 130, walking 87 and allowing 180 hits for a 4.82 ERA. As a staff, Blue Devil hurlers have held opponents to a .262 batting average.

The Blue Devils will be facing one of the Jayhawk’s best in Hesston’s Chelsea Smith. Boasting a 2.08 earned run average, Smith is 20-4 with five saves. She’s appeared in 33 games, 23 as a starter with 15 complete games. In 145 innings, she’s given up 90 hits, struck out 227 and walked 61.

“I’m sure they’ll ride her all the way,” Ross said. “She’ll pitch every game; at least that’s what I’d do.”

Smith allowed seven hits, striking out eight and walking one in the 4-0 loss to KCKCC. The Blue Devils dropped a 4-3 decision in the second game at Hesston although outhitting the Larks 10-4. Pinkerton struck out eight, walked two and gave up just three earned runs in the 4-hit effort.

Offensively, the Larks have pounded out 49 home runs, more than double KCKCC’s 22 round trippers. Amy Bretado leads with 19 while Paige Bittle has 10, the same as KCKCC leader Kaylee Arnzen. As a team, Hesston is hitting .339 led by Jessie Miranda’s 439 average.

KCKCC will take a team batting average of .318 into the game with seven Blue Devils hitting .300 or better. Shortstop Hannah Redick (.392) and first baseman Arnzen (.390) are the leaders followed by outfielders Devin Purcell (.361) and Alexis Rymer (.325), Grosstephan (.350), second baseman Britney Smith (.323), catcher Jennica Messer (.300) and third baseman Alaina Howe (.250). Arnzen leads in RBI with 48 followed by Rymer (39), Redick (37), Smith (33) and Grosstephan (30).


Several Wyandotte County students to graduate from Emporia State this weekend

Several students from Wyandotte County are on the graduation candidate list at Emporia State University, which will hold commencement ceremonies May 10 and 11 in Emporia, Kansas.

Three commencement ceremonies are planned in White Auditorium: Graduate degrees at 6 p.m. Friday, May 10; bachelor’s degree from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 11; and bachelor’s degrees from the School of Business and The Teachers College at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 11.

Students who are finishing their degrees in May and August are eligible to walk during spring exercises. There are nearly 600 undergraduates and more than 500 graduate students who are candidates for degrees.

For more information about commencement, including a link to live streaming, go to https://www.emporia.edu/commencement/.

Students from Wyandotte County on the graduation list include:

• Rebecca G. Bishop of Bonner Springs, Kansas, Master of Arts in English.


• Amber Nicole Cox of Bonner Springs, Kansas, Bachelor of Science in Business in marketing with a minor in information systems.


• Jessie Ann Farnsworth of Bonner Springs, Kansas, Bachelor of Science in Nursing.


• Kimberly Denea Pollock of Bonner Springs, Kansas, Master of Science in Special Education with a concentration in high incidence special education.


• Katelyn Amanda Smith of Bonner Springs, Kansas, Bachelor of Science in Education in elementary education.


• Carley Jo Bradshaw of Kansas City, Kansas, Education Specialist in school psychology.


• Michaela Cavlovic of Kansas City, Kansas, cum laude, Bachelor of Science in Education in elementary education.


• Nicholette Renee Daniels of Kansas City, Kansas, Bachelor of Science in Education in elementary education.


• Alexa Raye Elbrader of Kansas City, Kansas, Master of Science in clinical psychology.


• Kendra Shea Enriquez of Kansas City, Kansas, Bachelor of Science in Education in elementary education.


• Kayla Renee’ Gilmore of Kansas City, Kansas, Bachelor of Arts in political science with a minor in public administration.


• Imelda Arelis Gonzalez of Kansas City, Kansas, Bachelor of Science in health and human performance.


• Joshua Michael Hall of Kansas City, Kansas, Bachelor of Science in health and human performance.


• Abigail Denise Howe of Kansas City, Kansas, Master of Science in educational administration.


• Aidan Grey Johnson of Kansas City, Kansas, Bachelor of Science in psychology with a minor in leadership.


• Lisa Pinnell of Kansas City, Kansas, Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in curriculum lead concentration – pre K-12.


• Katelyn Reiff of Kansas City, Kansas, Bachelor of Science in Education in elementary education.


• Chris Richards of Kansas City, Kansas, Master of Science in Special Education with a concentration in adaptive special education.


• Tyrone T. Weaver of Kansas City, Kansas, Bachelor of Science in recreation.


• Leesa Lyn White of Kansas City, Kansas, Master of Science in Special Education with a concentration in high incidence special education.


• Hannah Jane Williams of Kansas City, Kansas, Master of Library Science with a concentration in youth services.


• Cindy Willis of Kansas City, Kansas, Master of Science in early childhood unified.


• Monica Susan Young of Kansas City, Kansas, Master of Science instructional specialist with a concentration in elementary content.


• Jessica Amber Hase Zimmerschied of Kansas City, Kansas, Master of Science in school counseling with a concentration in parallel pathways.