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10-13-16 — Alumni Association Celebrates 10 Years of Recognitions
Oct. 13, 2016 ~ A decade after establishing its Wall of Honor recognition for outstanding alumni, the Olathe Public Schools Alumni Association continued the tradition by inducting three more alums and two Distinguished Persons of Honor. They were recognized with a banquet on Oct. 4 and a special presentation by the Olathe Board of Education on Oct. 6.
"Tonight has been exceptional," Community Liaison Heather Schoonover told those in attendance at the banquet. "It is our 10th anniversary of the Wall of Honor."
This year's inductees were:
- James Kean, real estate developer, John P. St. John Memorial High School Class of 1956
- Michael Knop, insurance marketing representative, Olathe High School Class of 1966
- Hugh Speer, longtime supporter of education, Red Brick School Class of 1924
Retired music teacher Texanna Ollenberger and longtime school nurse and health director Margaret "Peggy" Barron received the Distinguished Person of Honor Award.
- Read more about these individuals http://schools.olatheschools.com/buildings/wallofhonor/
Interim Superintendent Patricia All remarked on the district's long history of excellence and how the community values its public schools.
"The district has experienced 51 years of growth and will for the foreseeable future, but we're still the same small town in many ways," she said. "The Olathe way is to honor the past, but keep the future in mind."
Before inducting this year's Wall of Honor recipients, Board of Education Vice President Brent McCune said, "It's been interesting to hear your stories. Your commitment and achievements speak for themselves."
Since fall 2007, the association has honored 66 alums and six current or former district staff for their lifetime achievements. Honorees span more than 100 years of education in Olathe, from Ella Mahaffie in the Class of 1885 to Shannon Wickliffe in the Class of 1994. Nearly 30 current and former Wall of Honor inductees, or a family member, were able to attend this year's event.
In addition to this special community event, the alumni association also oversees a massive coat drive for district students in transition, maintains multiple scholarships for Olathe graduates, and helps reunion organizers by providing contact information for alums.