National Merit Scholarship recipients announced

Overland Park Masons Award

Overland Park Lodge #436, a branch of the Grand Lodge of Kansas, granted 12 area high school students with scholarships totaling $14,500. The organization will hold an award ceremony for recipients on May 18.

The fraternal organization focuses on building men of good character in the community.

The scholarships are awarded to high school seniors and students who are already enrolled at two- and four-year universities and colleges. Scholarship money is granted through member donations.

Scholarship recipients include: Dakota Kemp of Gardner, Jackson Derby of Olathe, Brandon Furman of Olathe, Carson Sader of Olathe, Sara Wilkinson of Overland Park, Ruth Wilkinson of Overland Park, Cody Sader of Olathe, Kevin Wiesner of Olathe, Katy Hagen of Leawood, Stockton Grunewald of Olathe, Austin Fitzgerald of Olathe, and Jordan Winter of Lenexa.

Scholarship money can be used for tuition as well as books, transportation and food.

Olathe schools among U.S.’s most challenging

Two Olathe high schools made the Washington Post’s 2017 list of the country’s most challenging high schools. Among 12 schools, Olathe Northwest High School came in at No. 8 while Olathe North High Schools ranked at No. 10 in the state of Kansas.

The recognition places the two schools in the top 15 percent in the U.S.

Olathe schools recognized for community building

Frontier Trail Middle School and Sunnyside Elementary snagged the state’s Enhanced Spotlight Recognition for Social, Emotional and Character Development award.

The Kansas State Department of Education and the Brown v. Board of Education Historical Site chose the two schools to represent the Kansas Schools of Character Recognition program.

The program recognizes schools and districts that have shown exemplary skills in engaging families, creating a strong school community and challenging academic curriculum.

National Merit Scholarship recipients announced

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced students who will receive corporate-sponsored scholarships in 2017. A number of Johnson County students were among 1,000 high school seniors to receive the award. The program, in its 62nd year, grants students annual stipends of up to $10,000 for the U.S. college of their choice.

More than 7,500 people earn National Merit Scholarships each year, totaling more than $32 million.

The following students were recognized:

Blue Valley North High School: Julia Miriam Lytle of Leawood, National Merit Alliance Data Scholarship, probable career field: psychology. Roxanna Hamidpour of Leawood, Overland Park National Merit $2,500 Scholarship; probable career field: surgical medicine. Anastasia A. Dmitrienko of Overland Park, Overland Park National Merit $2,500 Scholarship; probable career field: statistics. Lucy Li of Overland Park, Overland Park National Merit $2,500 Scholarship; probable career field: biomedical engineering.

Blue Valley High School: Siddhanth S. Hegde of Leawood, Stilwell National Merit $2,500 Scholarship; probable career field: medicine. Arslan Z. Ali of Overland Park, Stilwell National Merit $2,500 Scholarship; probable career field: economics. John M. Johnston of Overland Park, Stilwell National Merit $2,500 Scholarship; probable career field: physics.

Blue Valley West High School: Michael D. Svoren of Overland Park, Overland Park National Merit $2,500 Scholarship. Probable career field: engineering. Kevin J. Varghese of Overland Park, Overland Park National Merit $2,500 Scholarship; probable career field: medicine.

Blue Valley Northwest High School: Jennifer Wu Chen of Overland Park, Overland Park National Merit, $2,500 Scholarship; probable career field: chemical engineering.

Blue Valley Southwest High School: Dean Ziegelman of Olathe, Overland Park National Merit $2,500 Scholarship; probable career field: actuarial science.

Shawnee Mission South High School: Emma K. Stapp of Lenexa, National Merit $2,500 Scholarship Underwritten by Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.; probable career field: actuarial science.

Shawnee Mission West High School: Jonah R. Berggren of Lenexa, National Merit Jack Henry & Associates Inc. Scholarship, probable career field: computer science.

Shawnee Mission East High School: Yashi Wang of Westwood, Prairie Village National Merit $2,500 Scholarship; probable career field: law. Peter R. Haynes of Prairie Village, Prairie Village National Merit $2,500 Scholarship; probable career field: politics.

Olathe Northwest High School: Michael R. Lacy of Overland Park, National Merit Pepsico Foundation Scholarship; probable career field: computer engineering. Cole J. Brabec of Olathe, Olathe National Merit $2,500 Scholarship; probable career field: physics. Zachary Kulphongpatana of Overland Park, Olathe National Merit $2,500 Scholarship; probable career field: electrical engineering.

Olathe North High School: Arvind Subramanian of Olathe, Olathe National Merit $2,500 Scholarship; probable career field: biomedical engineering.

Rockhurst High School: Paul T. Kaster of Leawood, Kansas City, National Merit $2,500 Scholarship; probable career field: computer science.

Heritage Christian Academy: Jonathan T. Edmondson of Overland Park, Olathe National Merit $2,500 Scholarship; probable career field: biomedical engineering.

Barstow School: Nikhil A. Kuppuswamy of Overland Park, Kansas City, National Merit $2,500 Scholarship; probable career field: entrepreneurship.

Pembroke Hill School: Alexander B. Mitchell of Shawnee, Kansas City, National Merit $2,500 Scholarship; probable career field: international human rights.