Shawnee Mission Students Earn Shooting Stars Recognition and Scholarships

Shooting Star graphic 2024
Shawnee Mission School District

Members of the Shawnee Mission Class of 2024 have been recognized for their artistic excellence.

They were recently named recipients of Shooting Star Scholarship awards from the Arts Council of Johnson County during a gala held at Johnson County Community College.

“Arts and creativity are essential to every student’s educational experience,” said Sarah VanLanduyt, ACJC executive director. “The Shooting Stars program celebrates student artists and their arts educators while also recognizing the important role that arts education plays in our schools and students’ development.” 

The program is supported by Johnson County and area foundations, corporations and individual donors. Scholarships include nine, first place scholarships of $1,400 each, nine second place scholarships of $700 each and nine teacher honorariums of $300 each. Local arts educators and area universities and colleges, including Johnson County Community College, the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance and Kansas City Art Institute, are key program collaborators.

This year’s Shawnee Mission Shooting Star Scholarship Recipients are:

Wind & Percussion:

1st - Ruby Wagner, nominated by Alex Toepfer, Shawnee Mission East High School
2nd - Maren Tims, nominated by Bill Thomas, Shawnee Mission West High School  

Theatre Performance:
1st - Faryn Clevenger, nominated by Derek Cross, Shawnee Mission West High School
2nd - Layla Ledford, nominated by Brian Cappello,  Shawnee Mission East High School

Voice (Classical):
1st  Kaitlyn Rongish, nominated by Derek Cross, Shawnee Mission West High School 

Arts teachers from schools throughout Johnson County are invited to nominate two students each year. Students are nominated for achievement in literacy, performing and visual arts.

Shawnee Mission student nominees included:  

Literature (prose/poetry) 
Cil Hoch, nominated by Amy Andersen, Shawnee Mission East High School

Photography 
Jai'den Dirks, nominated by Kimberly Ruttan, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
Sebastian Reyes, nominated by Ryane Jewell, Shawnee Mission West High School
Rue Swanson nominated by Adam Finkelston, Shawnee Mission East High School

Production and Design
Rose Cox, nominated by Shawnasea Holst, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
Ian Flynn ,nominated by Thomas DeFeo, Shawnee Mission East High School

Strings
Sylvia Brown, nominated by Jonathan Wiebe, Shawnee Mission South High School

Theatre Performance
Faryn Clevenger, nominated by Derek Cross, Shawnee Mission West High School
Layla Ledford, nominated by Brian Cappello, Shawnee Mission East High School
Riley Martin, nominated by Mark Swezey, Shawnee Mission South High School
Lily Reiff, nominated by Shawnasea Holst, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School

Three-Dimensional Art
Alex Bergman, nominated by Stephanie Kates, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
Annabelle Cavanaugh, nominated by Jennifer Hensley, Shawnee Mission East High School
Anafely Hernandez Perez, nominated by Elijah Schraad, Shawnee Mission West High School
Jillian Kramp, nominated by Abbey Thomas, Shawnee Mission South High School

Two-Dimensional Art
AJ Bettes, nominated by Douglas Catloth, Shawnee Mission West High School
Lillia Kleinow, nominated by Melissa Terryberry, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
Abby Lee, nominated by Adam Finkelston, Shawnee Mission East High School
Noah Panjada, nominated by Stephanie Dalley, Shawnee Mission North High School

Voice Classical
Ellison Bonge, nominated by Cassie Banion, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
Emma Molteni,i nominated by Ken Foley, Shawnee Mission East High School
Kaitlyn Rongish, nominated by Derek Cross, Shawnee Mission West High School

Winds and Percussion
Maren Tims, nominated by Bill Thomas, Shawnee Mission West High School
Ruby Wagner, nominated by Alex Toepfer, Shawnee Mission East High School