Kansas 2026 Governor’s Scholars Announced
Topeka, Kan–At the invitation of Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, 527 Kansas high school students were selected to attend the 43rd Annual Governor’s Scholars Awards Program on May 3, 2026, in Topeka.
The recognition ceremony honors the top academic 1% of Kansas high school seniors. Students are selected from accredited public and private schools in the state based on their academic achievements over the course of their high school years.
View the full list of seniors who will be honored at the ceremony.
This program is hosted by Washburn University and coordinated for the Governor by the Confidence in Kansas Public Education Task Force. Sunday’s event prelude music and National Anthem will be performed by student musicians from Lawrence Free State High School. Free State was honored as the 2025-26 KSHSAA Performing Arts School of Excellence Award winner. The event will also feature remarks from 2026 Kansas Teacher of the Year Rachel Marlow from the Olathe School District.
Area seniors
Bucklin High School: Rebecca Durler
Cimarron High School: Kynlee Frink
Deerfield High School: Addisyn Huband
Dighton High School: Kathryn Weeks
Dodge City High School: Grant Clevenger, Jada Conner, Alexander Covarrubias, Rylee Fisher, Brenna Zellers
Elkhart High School: Wesley O’Connor
Garden City High School: Logan Cornish, Olivia Fahrmeier, Jacob Pammenter, Brylee West
Greeley County High School, Tribune: James Marquardt
Hodgeman County High School, Jetmore: Caitlin Channell
Holcomb High School: Blake Mader
Hugoton High School: Darryl Farrill
Ingalls High School: Xander Christensen
Kansas Connections Academy, Elkhart: Allison Munhall, Bridget Sullivan
Lakin High School: Jarrod Hilger
Meade High School: Abigail Gipson
Minneola High School: Braegen Shelor
Moscow High School: Alexis Crawford
Satanta High School: Cameron Ross
Scott Community High School: Spencer Cramer
Southwestern Heights High School, Kismet: Jackson Stanfield
Spearville High School: Makenzie Preisner
Stanton County High School, Johnson: Karlee Nairn
Sublette High School: Ian Garetson
Syracuse High School: Stella Simon
Ulysses High School: Joanna Cedillo, Saven Rosales
Wichita County, Leoti: Jentri Porter
