Aug. 15, 2024
South Students Shine at Future Business Leaders of America National Conference
In the first year of re-launching Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Olathe South High School had six students who qualified for the FBLA National Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida. All six students are currently participating or graduated from the Business Finance Academy. These incredible individuals studied, practiced case studies, and worked on presenting their ideas in front of others.
- 2024 graduate David Burda was named the national champion, taking first place in Marketing.
- Rising juniors Anya Maheshwari and Beatriz Miranda placed 10th in Hospitality & Event Management.
- Maheshwari was elected this spring as the District VI vice president for Kansas FBLA for the 2024-2025 year.
Olathe Students Win Big at International Thespian Festival
During the month of June, Olathe Public Schools theater students attended the International Thespian Festival at Indiana University. This festival is often considered the best week of high school theater in the country featuring performance opportunities, competition activities, and chances to see some amazing productions produced by high schools from across the county and internationally. Olathe Public Schools had over 60 students and staff attend this awesome week of theatre.
The culminating event of the week was the International Thespian Awards Showcase or “The Thespys.” Modeled after events like the Tonys or Oscars, at least one “Thespy” is given out in each of the 19 competition categories, normally for perfect scores. Olathe South High School’s Rachel Sullivan, and Olathe West High School’s Leo Steger, Isaac Lowe, Isys Haynes, Aaron Shirley, Aidan Davis and Evan McCoy were honored at the competition.
- Sullivan received a Thespy in the Solo Musical category and also performed at the Solo Musical Theatre showcase.
- Steger received a Thespy in Scenic Design.
- Lowe and Haynes received Thespys in Stage Management.
- Shirley, Davis and McCoy received a Thespy in Group Musical.
166 Olathe Students Receive Kansas Seal of Biliteracy
One hundred sixty-six Olathe Public Schools high school students will receive the Kansas Seal of Biliteracy from the Kansas State Department of Education based on their academic achievement in English and an additional world language for the 2023-2024 school year. Students received a seal designation on their transcript, a congratulatory letter from Olathe Public Schools, a certificate from the state of Kansas and a medal. Biliteracy refers to having a functional level of proficiency in two or more languages. Congratulations to these 166 students.
Olathe North Sophomore Wins National MATHCOUNTS Scholarship
Olathe North High School sophomore Mahi Kohli won the 2024 MATHCOUNTS Community Coaching Scholarship. Created in 2021, the MATHCOUNTS Community Coaching Scholarship each year presents two $3,000 awards to MATHCOUNTS alumni who plan to start MATHCOUNTS programs at schools with low-income students or students who are underrepresented in STEM.
Kohli has conducted award-winning Alzheimer’s research and founded a nonprofit to empower marginalized groups called STEMing with the Stars.
“I want to raise math awareness for everyone — one student at a time,” Kohli said.
MATHCOUNTS is a non-profit organization that strives to engage middle school students of all ability and interest levels in fun, challenging math programs to expand their academic and professional opportunities. Middle school students are at a critical juncture in which their love for mathematics must be nurtured, or their fear of mathematics must be overcome. Olathe Public Schools participates in MATHCOUNTS districtwide as part of our activities provided for fourth through eighth grade students.
Olathe Advanced Technical Center Student Places Second in National SkillsUSA Competition
Olathe Advanced Technical Center’s Cameron Fehrenbacher, a 2024 graduate, competed in the Electronics Technolgy category at the national SkillsUSA competition. He won second place after taking first place in the Kansas SkillsUSA competition in the spring. This is his second year competing at the national competition and he was excited to hear he placed second.
“[When] they called my name to get the medal, it was just like pure joy,” Fehrenbacher said.
Fehrenbacher plans to attend Johnson County Community College for an electronics degree and pursue a career in the field.
