by Kelly Rogge
Preparations are well underway for the Kansas City Kansas Community College Endowment Association’s 19th-annual Mid-America Education Hall of Fame induction.
The event is April 23 at the Dr. Thomas R. Burke Technical Education Center, 6565 State Ave. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m. with the program and awards beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 per person and reservations must be made by April 16.
In addition to the community recognitions, the event serves as a fundraiser for scholarships at KCKCC, helping students who would otherwise be unable to afford to attend college.
“The purpose of the Mid America Education Hall of Fame is to identify and recognize individuals, organizations and corporate supporters, notable for their contributions to education and to provide well deserved recognition for honorees as well as to education and its impact on our lives,” said Patrick McCartney, executive director of the KCKCC Endowment Association. “This is an important event for KCKCC because it puts the spotlight on educators and the impact they have on our community, and it raises funds for scholarships for KCKCC students. It also allows us the opportunity to showcase KCKCC and the Dr. Thomas R. Burke Technical Education Center to our attendees.”
This year’s list of honorees include – Mila K. Banks, a retired teacher in the Kansas City, Kan. area; Cynthia Lane, Kansas City, Kan. Public Schools superintendent; Carol Levers, director of libraries in Kansas City, Kan.; Shirley Wendel, former dean of nursing and allied health at KCKCC; Hannah Lofthus, Ewing Marion Kauffman School; Learning Club of KCK and the Saturday Academy.
The Mid-America Education Hall of Fame was started in 1996 by the KCKCC Endowment Association as a way to recognize individuals, organizations and corporate supporters in the community who have made notable contributions to education. Hall of Fame inductees are selected based on a demonstrated commitment to education, their effort to improve the quality of life in the community through a commitment to education, increasing educational opportunities for others and supporting significant changes that have improved the quality of education.
“People should attend this event to show their support of the individuals and organizations making a difference through their commitment to making lives better through education,” McCartney said. “It is also a great networking opportunity with over 200 attendees expected.”
For more information on the Mid-America Education Hall of Fame or on donation opportunities, call McCartney at 913-288-7166 or Dawanna Fangohr at 913-288-7675.
Kelly Rogge is the public information supervisor at Kansas City Kansas Community College.