Two students from Seward County Community College/Area Technical School join the 49 community college scholars being recognized for academic accomplishments this month. Kelsey Darnell, an accounting major from Liberal, and Gwen Friesen, a liberal arts major from Moscow, were selected for 2011 All-Kansas Academic Team and will be among those recognized at an award ceremony Feb. 18 in Topeka. Representing the 19 Kansas community colleges, the 2011 All-Kansas Academic Team members are sponsored by the international headquarters of Phi Theta Kappa international honor society, the Kansas Association of Community College Trustees and the Kansas Council of Community College Presidents and the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. Each is also a nominee for the 2011 All-USA Academic Team, sponsored by USA Today, Phi Theta Kappa and the American Association of Community Colleges. Kelsey Darnell Darnell, who graduated form Liberal High school in 2009, was involved in Campus Messengers for Christ, Kappa Beta Delta and Phi Theta Kappa, where she served as president last fall. She transferred to Kansas State University this spring to major in accounting. Gwen Friesen Friesen grew up in Inman and moved with her family to Moscow in 1996. She graduated from American School – Correspondence, Lansing, Ill., in May 1997. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa and has had several pieces published in “Telolith,” the SCCC/ATS art and literary magazine. She has been a junior sewing leader for her church sewing group. This May she will graduate from SCCC/ATS with an associates degree with an emphasis in elementary education. She plans to stay in Kansas to finish her education. Phi Theta Kappa is the honor society for students attending community and two-year colleges. The criteria used in making the choice on which students would represent colleges in the All-Kansas Academic Team included academic rigor, grade point average, involvement in campus and community activities, and demonstration of outstanding moral character. The Kansas program is an affiliate of the All-USA Academic Team program, and the Kansas students are nominees for the national honor. Each student will receive a proclamation issued by the governor of Kansas, an educational stipend, and an academic medallion. About 500 U.S. community college students will compete for places on the first, second and third national teams. First team members each receive $2,500 stipends, and will be featured in USA Today along with second and third team members. Team members are also presented with medallions Among Kansans selected for national honors since the annual recognition program began are Donna Shank, SCCC/ATS first team, 1995 and Brandon Sutton, SCCC/ATS second team, 1996.

Gwen Friesen