Good afternoon, Johnson County! Twice a month, we share 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!
Mill Valley High girls track team wins 6A state title
After defeating the Manhattan girls track team for the 6A state title, the Mill Valley Jaguars celebrated with their trophy and individual wins on Saturday, May 31, in Wichita, according to the Mill Valley News.
Noteworthy accolades from the state competition:
- Freshmen Madison Bausby and Nora Harmon, and seniors Mollie Smith and Josie Benson, who placed second in the event, breaking the school record and securing the title.
- It was the girls track team’s first 6A state title, having won the 5A title in 2022.
- Also hoisting a trophy was the boys track team, which placed third.
SM West student earns prestigious scholarship
Washington and Lee University has named the recipients of the Johnson Scholarship for Leadership and Integrity for the incoming Class of 2029.
Lachlan Huber Smith, a 2025 alumnus of Shawnee Mission West High School, is one of 51 students in W&L’s Class of 2029 selected to receive the prestigious merit-based award, according to a news release.
The scholarship covers full tuition and fees, housing and meals, plus $10,000 to support summer experiences such as research, internships, and international study, according to the release. More about the scholarship can be found here.
Smith also earned a National Merit Scholarship and plans to study economics at Washington and Lee University.
Youth graduates from Shawnee Police Academy
The Shawnee Police Department recently welcomed the newest graduating class of the Shawnee Police Department Youth Academy.
The free program comprises a week-long summer camp for teens age 13-17, that helps teach students about law enforcement, according to the city’s website.
“It’s also a great way to build relationships between police officers and young adults,” the city wrote on its website.
Gardner Edgerton coach honored at Royals game
Gardner Edgerton High School’s Walt Cochran, the school’s head cross country coach, was made the July Blue KC Coaches with Character honoree.
More about Cochran’s prestigious honor can be found here.
Mill Valley rising senior wins home run derby
Beau Peterson, a rising senior at Mill Valley High School, earlier this month won the MLB’s High School Home Run Derby.
“You walk out there, see 50,000 and think, whoa, alright, gotta kick it in another gear.”
That’s exactly what Beau Peterson did in the MLB All-Star High School Home Run Derby, edging out his friend and fellow Texas commit, Grady Emerson: https://t.co/Jfcob5y8bF pic.twitter.com/jsVGC8a12i
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 15, 2025
“Peterson had 60 seconds to hit as many home runs as he could — and he cranked 9 to win the event — in front of a sold-out crowd at Truist Park,” KCTV wrote in its report.
CFD2 donates school supplies for Back to School program
Consolidated Fire District No. 2 recently gave a check to the Prairie Village Foundation for its Back to School with a Firefighter program.
The program helps get school supplies for students heading back to the classroom this fall.
Hot Wheels Legends Tour stops in Gardner
Clint DeVine won the Hot Wheels Legends Tour Kansas City stop car show on July 12 in Gardner. His custom 1990 Chevrolet S10 Truck beat out 150+ other local submissions.
The event marked the first time the Hot Wheels Legends Tour rolled into the Kansas City area, according to a news release.
Here’s the Facebook album from the event.
SevenDays hires new executive director
SevenDays, a local nonprofit dedicated to spreading kindness, has hired a new executive director to spearhead the organization’s future.
Kelly Murphy will oversee SevenDays, providing strategic, operational and fundraising leadership to advance the organization’s mission, according to a news release. Now in its second decade, SevenDays is a Kansas City-based nonprofit dedicated to combating hate by promoting kindness and understanding through education and dialogue.
“We are thrilled to welcome Kelly as Executive Director,” said Mindy Corporon, a co-founder of SevenDays. “Kelly will help lead us to the next level in our kindness efforts. Her experience, passion for community service, and commitment to our mission will help us continue our important work of spreading kindness.”
SevenDays was founded after a White Supremacist murdered Mindy Corporon’s father, William Corporon, and her son, Reat Underwood, as well as Teresa LaManno, outside Jewish facilities in Overland Park in 2014. This tragedy shocked the community, and the family and friends of the victims were committed to ensuring that love, not hate, would be their lasting legacy.
Horizons High School teacher heads to D.C.
Julie Oglesby, a social studies teacher and instructional coach at Horizons High School in Mission, will attend C-SPAN’s Summer Educators’ Conference to learn about the network’s free educational resources and how to incorporate the materials into their teaching practices, according to a news release.
Oglesby is one of 30 middle and high school educators from across the nation selected to attend the conference later this month, according to the release.
AdventHealth Mid-America welcomes new CMO
AdventHealth announced earlier this month that Bela Nand, MD, was named the hospital system’s new regional chief medical officer.
In her new role, Nand will serve as the primary chief medical officer for AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, while also supporting quality, safety, and physician engagement initiatives across the AdventHealth Mid-America region, among other responsibilities, according to a news release.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Nand to our leadership team,” said Alan Verrill, MD, president and chief executive officer of AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, via the news release. “Her proven track record of driving meaningful change and her passion for patient-centered care make her an ideal fit for our region and our mission of extending the healing ministry of Christ.”
Gardner Police shines light on local lemonade seller
Earlier this month, a Gardner police officer, Sgt. Waggoner, gave a local entrepreneur a bit of a boost by stopping by for some delicious lemonade the young lady had for sale.
“We’re always proud to see our officers engaging with the community, and who can resist a refreshing cup of lemonade on a warm summer day?” Gardner Police wrote on Facebook.
Leawood celebrates its parks and rec staff
Earlier this month, the City of Leawood uplifted its parks and recreation staff with a big THANK YOU post on social media.
“Let’s say a huge THANK YOU to our Parks, Recreation & Arts staff for making Leawood such a fun, beautiful, and vibrant place to live and play,” the city wrote on Facebook. “We’re so grateful for all you do!
MidAmerica Nazarene University names new athletics director
MidAmerica Nazarene University has named Ryan Thompson, a longtime leader of the Olathe school’s baseball program, as its new director of athletics.
“It’s my extreme honor to announce Coach Ryan Thompson as our next director of athletics,” said Todd Garrett, vice president of university advancement and athletics, via a news release. “Ryan served as MNU’s head baseball coach from January 2007 to July 2025, leading the program through 19 seasons of unprecedented success in the Heart Conference and NAIA. The excellence with which the program has achieved under his watch is inspiring and recognizable in our department and across the nation.
“Ryan’s commitment to MNU’s mission, along with his consistent investment in young people’s holistic development, positions him well to lead the athletic department into the future. Ryan’s heart for service and intimate awareness of the NAIA and the Heart of America Athletic Conference provide him with advanced knowledge of the intercollegiate landscape and the opportunities that abound for the future of Pioneer Athletics.”
Gardner martial arts program helps Special Olympics athletes
Blazing Trails Martial Arts had a bout of exciting news to share last week.
The martial arts program in Gardner recently hosted a class for athletes of Gardner Gold Special Olympics. The group also led a board breaking fundraiser to help raise money for the local Special Olympics group.
“Huge shoutout to Beyond Martial Arts for joining us Saturday and helping us break (literally!) barriers together,” the martial arts program wrote on Facebook. “To everyone who donated, showed up, or just helped spread the word — thank you. This was more than an event. It was a movement.”
JCCC earns STARS gold rating for sustainability
Johnson County Community College recently earned a STARS 2025 Gold Rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education, according to a news release.
