| PHS Senior Awards |
A night of recognition Pittsburg High School seniors were honored Friday during the annual awards presentation. They were recognized for academic and sports achievements, and scholarships were announced. "We want to thank you parents for lending us your seniors for the past four years," said Rhonda White, counselor, who served as emcee for the event. "We've added up the amounts of the scholarships these students have received, and the total investment in our future is $986,974." Among the awards presented were the Megan Mallatt Leadership Awards, given in memory of an outstanding PHS student who was active in many sports and clubs. "Everybody who knew her loved Megan, and she loved everyone unconditionally," said her father, Keith Mallatt. "Her spirit will live in on in many of you." Receiving the Megan Mallatt Leadership Awards were Megan Carlson and Kaleigh Hudson. Mallatt had excelled in volleyball and also participated in the pom pon squad, and awards in these two activities are now made in her memory. Her mother, Brenda Mallatt, presented the Dragon Spirit Award in Volleyball to Megan Free, and the Pom Pon Spirit Award to Megan Plank. Karen Fleck was present to award the John Fleck Memorial Scholarship in honor of her late husband. A 1987 PHS graduate and avid cross-country runner, he died in a car accident. "Though I and our boys suffered a terrible loss, it is so rewarding to take a negative experience and turn it into a positive outcome," Fleck said as she presented the scholarships to Julie Scorse and Staci Shoemake. Nancy Seybold, physics and chemistry teacher, presented the Outstanding Student in Math and Science Award to Diana Liu and Megan Plank. These awards, sponsored by Kansas State University, recognize the top math and science students at PHS. Noting that both of these students are young women, Seybold told of her own experiences 35 years ago in high school. "I wanted to take drafting, and I was told that girls didn't take drafting," the teacher said. "I wanted to take shop, and they told me that girls don't take shop. In my first college chemistry class, I was the only female. We've come a long way in the last 35 years." Julie Scorse and Megan Woodrum received the Jacque Grable Memorial Scholarship, named in honor of a USD 250 teacher who died after a courageous battle with cancer. The Elaine Bryant Memorial Scholarship, named for a longtime PHS English teacher, went to Josh Johnson. Numerous other honors were listed as well, including the KSHSAA Citizenship Award, which went to Megan Plank and Josh Johnson, and the Martin Rohde Award, which was presented to Megan Carlson and Christian Lovell. Purple Dragon Three Sport Athletic Award, honoring students who participated in three sports during their senior year, went to Megan Carlson, Christian Lovell, Caleb Peterson and Levi Welling. Diana Liu and Megan Plank were recognized as Kansas Governor's Scholars. Liu is also a 2006 National Merit Finalist. The Morning Sun, (www.morningsun.net) May 13 , 2006 |
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