Well hi there, Johnson County! It finally feels like spring has sprung! Here’s another dose of positive, heartwarming things happening in our community.
We kicked off the new year with a resolution to ourselves and our readers by answering one question:
How can we share more good news happening in our community?
Twice a month, we’ll be sharing a collection of some of the happy news that came into our inboxes and across our social media feeds.
How to tell us your good news
If you have good news too, we’d like you to share that with us. You can do so in a number of ways. You can:
- Email us at stories@johnsoncountypost.com.
- Send us messages on Facebook or on X (formerly Twitter).
- Or comment at the bottom of this post.
And now, onto our latest roundup of good news!
Madison Elementary establishes first student council
Madison Elementary in Gardner recently introduced its first-ever student council this school year.
“Students underwent a rigorous application process, delivered campaign speeches, and held elections,” Gardner Edgerton School District staff wrote in an email. “The council is divided into committees focusing on school spirit, teacher appreciation, welcoming new students, and digital news updates.”
Olathe nonprofit’s 1st fundraising walk rakes in $37K
Health Partnership Clinic’s inaugural Snowflake Streak fundraising walk in Olathe raised more than $37,000 to support uninsured children and adults in the area.
Over 200 participants and volunteers came out for the one-mile walk around the Stagecoach Park Loop at the Olathe Community Center.
BV North basketball player named McDonald’s All-American
Jaliya Davis, a student-athlete at Blue Valley North High, has been named a 2025 McDonald’s All-American.
Prairie Village native’s debate team headed to nationals
Two University of Kansas Debate teams composed of John Marshall, Lawrence, with Graham Revare, Prairie Village, and Rose Larson, Milwaukee, with Luna Schultz, Houston, were selected as automatic qualifiers for the 2025 National Debate Tournament to take place April 3-7 in Spokane, Washington.
“We are very proud of the achievement of the debaters as they build on the legacy of past generations of KU debaters,” said Brett Bricker, head coach, who won the NDT in 2009.
BV High grad named Dallas Cowboys head coach
Brian Schottenheimer, a graduate of Blue Valley High School in Overland Park, was named the new head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
Congratulations to Brian Schottenheimer, graduate of @bvhs_tigers, on being named the new head coach of the Dallas Cowboys! ⭐️🏈👏#BVTogether https://t.co/C6PQx08ym0
— Blue Valley Schools (@bvschools) January 28, 2025
Schottenheimer became the 10th head coach in Dallas Cowboys history.
70+ JoCo natives make University of Nebraska-Lincoln dean’s list
Dozens of students from Johnson County made the deans’ list for the fall 2024 semester.
Qualification for the Deans’ List varies among the eight undergraduate colleges, but generally, colleges require at least a 3.5 GPA if not higher, according to a news release.
Here’s the list of students who made the list:
- Fairway: Sydney Anne Beck, junior, Dean’s List, College of Business, management and marketing.
- Lake Quivira: Thomas Sojka, senior, Dean’s List, College of Business, finance.
- Leawood: Sofia Kimberlee Grace, junior, Dean’s List, College of Arts and Sciences, environmental studies.
- Leawood: Eleanor Rose Krause, sophomore, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, computer science.
- Leawood: Dylan Matthew Levitan, freshman, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, chemical engineering.
- Leawood: Ike McLey, senior, Dean’s List, College of Business, finance.
- Lenexa: Claire Elizabeth Dinslage, senior, Dean’s List, College of Business, finance.
- Lenexa: Nathan Hill, senior, Dean’s List, College of Arts and Sciences, history, and classics and religious studies.
- Lenexa: Ryan Michael Lemmon, freshman, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, mechanical engineering.
- Lenexa: Kate McKinzie, freshman, Dean’s List, College of Arts and Sciences, data science.
- Lenexa: Skyler Grace Pierce, freshman, Dean’s List, Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, graphic design.
- Lenexa: Ava Price, freshman, Dean’s Lists, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and College of Arts and Sciences, forensic science and biological sciences.
- Lenexa: Ally Sarver, sophomore, Dean’s List, College of Education and Human Sciences, communication sciences and disorders.
- Lenexa: Nathan Snyder, senior, Dean’s List, College of Education and Human Sciences, elementary education.
- Lenexa: Josh Swanson, senior, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, mechanical engineering.
- Lenexa: Samantha Marie Wallenburg, sophomore, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, computer science.
- Lenexa: Zach Wallenburg, senior, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, computer science.
- Mission: Zoe Ganzman, senior, Dean’s List, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, agribusiness.
- Olathe: Tyler Alexander, sophomore, Dean’s List, College of Business, actuarial science.
- Olathe: Parker Anderson, junior, Dean’s List, College of Education and Human Sciences, communication sciences and disorders.
- Olathe: Katie Charest, senior, Dean’s Lists, College of Education and Human Sciences and Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, hospitality, restaurant and tourism management, and dance.
- Olathe: Frank Brendan Curran, junior, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, mechanical engineering.
- Olathe: Cheyenne Angela Fantroy, junior, Dean’s List, College of Education and Human Sciences, elementary education.
- Olathe: Kate Gabel, senior, Dean’s List, College of Education and Human Sciences, secondary education.
- Olathe: Jaxon Phoenix Gilner, senior, Dean’s List, College of Education and Human Sciences, textiles, merchandising and fashion design.
- Olathe: Truman Gilner, senior, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, mechanical engineering.
- Olathe: Tyler Hunt, junior, Dean’s List, College of Business, finance.
- Olathe: Carter Michael Johnson, freshman, Dean’s List, Explore Center, undeclared undergraduate.
- Olathe: Zachary Johnson, senior, Dean’s List, College of Business, economics.
- Olathe: Josh Jones, junior, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, mechanical engineering.
- Olathe: Kaylin Marie Kirchmer, junior, Dean’s List, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, animal science and pre-veterinary medicine.
- Olathe: Gabriella Marie Landshut, sophomore, Dean’s List, College of Arts and Sciences, psychology.
- Olathe: Kenna McNeal, sophomore, Dean’s List, College of Business, actuarial science.
- Olathe: Katherine Elizabeth Mulloy, junior, Dean’s List, College of Arts and Sciences, film studies.
- Olathe: Hank Phillips, sophomore, Dean’s List, College of Business, marketing and management.
- Olathe: Ellie Price, junior, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, environmental engineering.
- Olathe: Annie Ravenscroft, sophomore, Dean’s List, College of Education and Human Sciences, elementary education.
- Olathe: Evan Dean Routh, freshman, Dean’s List, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, PGA golf management.
- Olathe: Erin Michelle Smith, junior, Dean’s List, College of Education and Human Sciences, elementary education and special education (K-6).
- Overland Park: Branden Blue, senior, Dean’s List, College of Journalism and Mass Communications, sports media and communication, and broadcasting.
- Overland Park: Meg Brady, junior, Dean’s Lists, College of Arts and Sciences and Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, environmental studies and dance.
- Overland Park: Kate Conway, senior, Dean’s List, College of Business, marketing and management.
- Overland Park: Jenna Gilbo, senior, Dean’s List, College of Business, finance and management.
- Overland Park: Corrina Gomez, freshman, Dean’s List, College of Business, actuarial science.
- Overland Park: Marek Gregory, sophomore, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, mechanical engineering.
- Overland Park: John Jacobson, junior, Dean’s List, College of Business, finance.
- Overland Park: Jack LaVergne, junior, Dean’s List, College of Arts and Sciences, mathematics and data science.
- Overland Park: Kevin Duffy Moore, freshman, Dean’s List, College of Business, business administration.
- Overland Park: Parker Mores, freshman, Dean’s List, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, PGA golf management.
- Overland Park: Jack Stanley Naujokaitis, freshman, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, mechanical engineering.
- Overland Park: Stephen Patrick North, senior, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, computer science.
- Overland Park: Ally Rehg, senior, Dean’s Lists, College of Arts and Sciences and College of Business, Spanish and management.
- Overland Park: Jay Selzer, senior, Dean’s Lists, College of Business and College of Engineering, economics and computer science.
- Overland Park: Garrett Smith, junior, Dean’s List, College of Business, accounting and finance.
- Overland Park: Taylor Jayne Steenson, sophomore, Dean’s List, College of Business, accounting.
- Overland Park: Carina Ann Swanson, senior, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, computer science.
- Overland Park: Dylan Grant Webb, sophomore, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, mechanical engineering.
- Overland Park: Brooklyn Kate Werth, freshman, Dean’s List, College of Arts and Sciences, biological sciences.
- Overland Park: Carter Michael Yannette, sophomore, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, computer science.
- Prairie Village: Delaney Jane McDermed, sophomore, Dean’s List, Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, acting.
- Prairie Village: Breck Angela Steffensmeier, sophomore, Dean’s List, College of Business, marketing.
- Prairie Village: Aislinn Tess Sullivan, senior, Dean’s List, College of Journalism and Mass Communications, advertising and public relations.
- Shawnee: Katelyn Elizabeth Bothwell, junior, Dean’s List, College of Education and Human Sciences, nutrition and health sciences.
- Shawnee: Suzette Rose Donovan, junior, Dean’s List, College of Arts and Sciences, English and history.
- Shawnee: Sarah Jean Ellison, senior, Dean’s List, College of Arts and Sciences, English.
- Shawnee: Emily Michelle Free, freshman, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, mechanical engineering.
- Shawnee: Hunter Gray, senior, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, civil engineering.
- Shawnee: Grace Hecke, junior, Dean’s List, College of Arts and Sciences, data science.
- Shawnee: Mary Grace Kelley, junior, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, chemical engineering.
- Shawnee: Wil Lehan, sophomore, Dean’s List, College of Engineering, software engineering.
- Shawnee: Cole Allan Madsen, senior, Dean’s List, College of Business, actuarial science and finance.
- Shawnee: Colin McAlister, freshman, Dean’s List, College of Business, business administration.
- Shawnee: Kyle Moylan, senior, Dean’s List, College of Business, accounting and finance.
- Shawnee: Janmeet Kaur Singh, junior, Dean’s List, College of Arts and Sciences, psychology.
- Shawnee: Kelly VandenBos, senior, Dean’s List, College of Arts and Sciences, biological sciences and psychology.
- Shawnee: Maddie Vielhauer, freshman, Dean’s List, College of Arts and Sciences, political science and global studies.
- Shawnee: Amaya Claire Walters, freshman, Dean’s List, Explore Center, pre-health.
2 JoCo natives make University of Nebraska-Lincoln dean’s commendation list
Two University of Nebraska-Lincoln students from Johnson County have been named to the Deans’ Commendation List for the fall semester of the 2024-25 academic year, including:
- Olathe: John Daugherty, junior, Dean’s Commendation List, College of Arts and Sciences, physics and mathematics.
- Overland Park: Lauryn Burbach, freshman, Dean’s Commendation List, College of Journalism and Mass Communications, journalism.
The Commendation List recognizes students in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, College of Arts and Sciences and/or College of Journalism and Mass Communications who met or exceeded a specified grade-point average and carried six to 11 graded semester hours, according to a news release.
Lenexa native makes Valdosta State Uni dean’s list
Valdosta State University congratulates Audrey Bennett of Lenexa for earning a spot on the Fall 2024 Dean’s List.
Leawood native makes New Jersey university dean’s list
Jake Miller of Leawood a student at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Metropolitan Campus in Teaneck, New Jersey, has been named to the Honors List for the Fall 2024 semester.
5 JoCo natives make Augustana College dean’s list
Augustana College recently announced five students from Johnson County were among more than 1,200 to make the fall 2024 dean’s list, including:
- Anna Lindenberg, a Art History, Art major, of Olathe
- Avery Spacek, a Communication Sciences & Disorders major, of Lenexa
- Jordyn Swanson, a Biology, Spanish for Professional Use major, of Lenexa
- Skylar Guarini, a Creative Writing major, of Olathe
- Timothy Gardner, a Augie Ages major, of Overland Park
Lenexa native achieves big at South Carolina military school
Brendan Kane of Lenexa is among the more than 1,300 cadets and students recognized for their academic accomplishments during the fall 2024 semester. Kane achieved gold star recognition for keeping at least a 3.7 GPA, and also made the fall 2024 dean’s list.
Olathe native named presidential scholar at University of Arkansas
Charles Christensen of Olathe was named a Presidential Scholar at the University of Central Arkansas for fall 2024.
OP native makes Buffalo State University dean’s list
Shae Wirt of Overland Park has been named to the Fall 2024 Dean’s List at Buffalo State University.
Shawnee native makes University of Bridgeport president’s list
Samantha Krenzel of Shawnee was named to University of Bridgeport’s Fall 2024 President’s List.
