Category: Communities

Rotary to award scholarships to outstanding students

Attending the Kansas City, Kan., Rotary Club meeting April 8 were, left to right, Priscilla McInnes, KCK Rotary Club member; Carly Zwart , Piper High School; Natalie Walton, Wyandotte High School; TeAra Crockett , Schlagle High School; Betty Gillespie, Turner High School; Melanie Arellano, Bishop Ward High School; Kemberly Sanchez, Bonner Springs High School; and George Moody, KCK Rotary Club president. (Photo from KCK Rotary Club)
Attending the Kansas City, Kan., Rotary Club meeting April 15 were, left to right, Jordan House, Turner High School; Weston Vitt, Bonner Springs High School; Noah Jaksetic, Bishop Ward High School; Rogelio Gamboa, Wyandotte High School; Kalen Allen, Sumner Academy; Ahmedin Issak, Harmon High School; Aaron Wedlow, Schlagle High School; Jared Davis, Piper High School; George Moody, KCK Rotary Club president. (Photo from KCK Rotary Club)

The Kansas City, Kan., Rotary Club, as part of its annual Student Scholarship Contest, recently recognized outstanding high school students from Wyandotte County schools.

One female and one male student from each school were nominated by their schools to compete for $1,000 college scholarships.  The students exemplify the highest academic, service and character standards in the community, a Rotary official said.

The female students, accompanied by family and school representatives, made short presentations before the club on April 8 at its weekly luncheon.  The male students attended the April 15 meeting.

The club will choose one female and one male from the outstanding high school students to receive a $1,000 scholarship at the college or university of their choice.  The scholarships will be awarded at the club’s luncheon on April 29.

To learn more about Rotary International, go to www.Rotary.org. Visit the Kansas City, Kan., Rotary Club’s website at www.rotarydowntownkck.org.

– Information and photo from KCK Rotary Club

 

Nearly 500 expected for district’s annual ‘Are You Faster than a Fifth-Grader’ race

For the third consecutive year, the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools will bring together teams of fifth-grade students, district staff and city officials for a race that challenges minds, bodies and spirits.

On Friday, April 25, KCKPS will be the host of the “Are You Faster Than a 5th Grader” two-mile race. Start time is noon.

This year’s race will follow a different route than past ones. It will begin at Schlitterbahn Kansas City Water Park and end at Sporting KC stadium. The runners will follow 98th street to Francis Family Drive and go southwest to the stadium.

Teams of 15 fifth-graders are expected to participate from all 30 of the district’s elementary schools. Superintendent Cynthia Lane and other district administrators, plus Mayor Mark Holland and other city leaders, will keep stride with the students.

Lane launched this event in 2012 as a way to promote physical fitness in students and to encourage overall wellness.

“We want our students to be the best that they can be and that means intellectually as well as physically,” Lane said. “Good health plays an important role in our students’ ability to learn. As well as promoting good health, this race provides them with lessons about teamwork, endurance and physical fitness.”

The race has become something that fifth-grade students look forward to each year. Recently, Lane started building excitement by having a practice run with students at Kennedy Elementary School.

The first 15 students, and top three adults to cross the finish line in the race will receive medals. At the conclusion of the race, teams of students and adults will compete in an academic 4×4 relay, where they must answer curriculum questions correctly before proceeding on their leg of the race.

Fifth-graders not competing in the race will be seated in Sporting KC stadium to cheer on their classmates and teachers.

This year’s event is expected to draw more than 500 runners.

– Story from Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools

 

KCKCC to hold Jazz Summit April 23-25

by Kelly Rogge

Kansas City Kansas Community College will be playing host to students from middle school, high school and college this week during the 2014 Kansas City Jazz Summit.

The summit is 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 23 to 25 in the KCKCC Performing Arts Center, 7250 State Ave. The event is free and open to the public.

“The goal (of the Jazz Summit) is to attract jazz band, combos and choirs from across the United States and hopefully Canada, making Kansas City a destination location,” said Jim Mair, professor of music and director of instrumental studies at KCKCC. “There will be great performances all three days, world class adjudication and on Thursday, there is the KC Heritage ‘Basically Basie’ competition with text voting – a first for jazz festivals.”

The Jazz Summit caters to jazz groups at the middle school, high school and college level in both competitive and non-competitive sessions. This not only includes bands, but choirs and combos as well.

There are three levels of participation. These include:

·         Jazz Summit. A non-competitive group where jazz groups perform for adjudicators. No winners are named, but outstanding groups and soloists are recognized. Groups that participate in this category receive a plaque or trophy.

·         Kansas City Jazz Heritage – “Basically Basie.” This is a competitive category on Thursday of the Jazz Summit. Groups are required to pick three songs from an established list of Count Basie repertoire. These selections must have been recorded by the Count Basie Orchestra. Judging is based on the authenticity and attention to detail. The top two groups will compete for audience voting, which is done by text message. The winning group receives a traveling plaque. Blue Valley Northwest High School has won the trophy the last three years.

·         Jazz Tyro. This is specifically designed for younger bands with little experience. Those that participate receive positive comments as well as a clinic following their performance.

“Band enrollment is up 60 percent,” Mair said of this year’s summit. “Bands are coming from South Dakota, St. Louis, Oklahoma and Wichita, Kan.”

Local schools attending the Jazz Summit include Piper, Basehor-Linwood, Turner, Lansing, Tonganoxie, Shawnee Mission East, Blue Valley Northwest, Olathe Northwest, Olathe North, Shawnee Mission Northwest and Johnson County Community College. The KCKCC Jazz Ensemble will perform at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, followed by the KCKCC Jazz Combo at noon. The KCKCC Standard Jazz Choir will perform at 12:30 p.m. Friday.

For complete schedules for all three days of the event, visit www.kansascityjazz.org/kansascityjazzsummit.html. For more information or for questions, contact Jim Mair at kcjazz@kckcc.edu or by phone at 913-288-7503.