Presenting the 2022 KC Star Scholar-Athletes, and how we determined this year’s winners
We say it each year, and it remains no less true today than when we began more than 39 springtimes ago:
The Star’s annual Scholar-Athlete awards program, recognizing outstanding high school student-athletes in partnership with the Kansas City Royals, is one of the coolest things we do.
The caliber of nominees is always staggering. And we don’t take lightly the responsibility of reviewing them.
Today’s presentation of St. Thomas Aquinas’ Beatrice Culliton and Rockhurst’s Ryan Thompson as our overall male and female winners for 2022 culminates a process that included three rounds of intense judging.
Officials from each of the 100-plus high schools within The Star’s coverage area submitted up to three nominees apiece. Each nomination included a personalized portfolio of athletic skills, academic and other achievements and faculty endorsements.
This year’s first round of Scholar-Athlete judging was carried out by current and former members of The Star’s newsroom. They whittled the field to one winner per school before handing off these semifinalists to a second group of judges tasked with determining two top 10s: one for the boys, one for the girls.
The portfolios of these top 10s, our 2022 semifinalists, were then placed into the hands of a panel of final judges. Taking part in that capacity this year were Royals outfielder Michael A. Taylor, Chiefs lineman Trey Smith, Sporting KC’s Tim Melia, the Kansas City Current’s Sam Mewis and longtime former Star sportswriter Randy Covitz.
Nominated student-athletes were evaluated 45% for their athletic prowess and accomplishments, 35% on academic achievements, 10% on participation in activities apart from sports and academics (such as community service and student government) and 10% for overall impact on their respective school’s environment. Variances in class size and rank, as well as size and competitiveness of their schools’ athletic leagues and conferences, were also carefully considered.
Within today’s pages of The Star and online at Kansascity.com, you’ll learn about our overall winners, plus each school’s winner. You’ll also see who else was nominated from each campus.
The overall male and female winners earn handsome trophies and are invited to throw out a first pitch before a Royals game at Kauffman Stadium. All school winners get tickets to the game, as well as special certificates commemorating their achievement.
Before you move on and check out this year’s honorees, please join us in congratulating each nominee and thanking those whose time and effort made it possible for The Star to once again honor some of the brightest young women and men that our region has to offer.
They’re embarking on the exciting next stages of their lives, but they won’t soon be forgotten for their indelible impact on ours.
This story was originally published June 5, 2022 at 5:00 AM.