Vol. 39, No. 8

April 20, 2005

15 Students to Be Recognized
for Outstanding Citizenship

The State Board of Education will honor 15 public high school students Friday (April 22) as recipients of the 2005 Outstanding Achievement in Citizenship Award. An awards luncheon to recognize the students will begin at noon Friday in the Governor’s Mansion.

Guest speaker will be the Honorable Mary Rhodes Russell, Missouri Supreme Court justice.

The Missouri Legislature established the citizenship award in 1990. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education conducts the awards competition, with assistance and financial support from The Missouri Bar.

The citizenship award recipients are:

  • Ashlee Allphin, East Newton High School, Granby
  • Vellore Arthi, Hickman High School, Columbia
  • Jennifer Berk, Parkway Central High School, Chesterfield
  • Patrick Carver, Parkview High School, Springfield
  • Lisa Fahey, Park Hill High School, Kansas City
  • Kari Gronemeyer, Raymore-Peculiar High School, Peculiar
  • Amanda Gumm, Benton High School, St. Joseph
  • James (Jim) Kelley, Francis Howell Central High School, St. Charles
  • Edwina King, Arcadia Valley High School, Ironton
  • Hannah Kryder, Webster Groves High School
  • Natalie Peters, Rock Bridge High School, Columbia
  • Caitlin Pierce, Parkway South High School, Ballwin
  • Sarah Rapone, Waynesville High School
  • Robert Ritchie, Warren County High School, Warrenton
  • Nicole Tichenor, Parkway West High School, Ballwin

More than 50 students were nominated for the award. Educators and members of the Missouri Bar’s Advisory Committee on Citizenship Education reviewed the nominations and selected the winners.

Every public high school is eligible to nominate one senior for the award. Students are selected for the award on the basis of their academic achievement in civics and government courses, performance in civics and government-related extracurricular activities, and exemplary community service. Students also must submit an essay about the importance of citizenship.

The awards will be presented by, Peter F. Herschend, vice president of the State Board; D. Kent King, Commissioner of Education; and Joe B. Whisler, president of The Missouri Bar. Each student will receive a plaque and a $50 U.S. Savings Bond.