The Shawnee Mission Board of Education and Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD) formally recognized student honorees from across the district in this year’s PTA Citizenship Writing Contest. The program encourages students in fifth grade through twelfth grade to write a poem or essay.
Student entries were submitted using the theme, “I Will Lift Others Up By…”. The 2023-2024 statewide theme was submitted by Shawnee Mission South student Hannah Clark.
At the February 12 board meeting, student honorees were presented with medals and ribbons and were congratulated for their accomplishments in writing. The recognition ceremony was followed by a reception held in the Center for Academic Achievement (CAA).
Award of Excellence winners have advanced to Kansas PTA for state judging. Those results will be announced in April.
The Citizenship program is sponsored by Kansas PTA. The Shawnee Mission Area Council PTA (SMAC PTA) leads the opportunity for students in the SMSD.
Awards of Excellence and Awards of Merit for outstanding interpretations of the theme were presented as follows.
Award of Excellence:
Jacob Underwood, Tomahawk, 5th grade, poem
Fiona Frances, Sunflower, 5th grade, essay
Diya Thomas, Highlands, 6th grade, poem
Adalyn Thomas, 6th grade, essay
Olive Kerr, Indian Woods, 7th grade, poem
Mia Clark, Indian Woods, 8th grade, poem
Lydia McColligan, SM South, 9th grade, poem
Victoria Olberding, SM South, 9th grade, essay
Hannah Clark, SM South, 10th grade, poem
Alexander Bean, SM West, 10th grade, essay
Bryce Bean, SM West, 12th grade, essay
Award of Merit:
Colin Graves, Merriam Park, 5th grade, poem
Sofia Nosti, Highlands, 5th grade, essay
Norah Collins, Mill Creek, 6th grade, poem
Brooklyn Jenkins, Santa Fe Trail, 6th grade, essay