Articles celebrating academic excellence in Lawrence and Douglas County, KS.
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Firebirds and Lions earn top awards, qualify for national competition during weekend speech and debate tournament
Twenty competitors from Free State and Lawrence high schools are heading to Kentucky in June for the National Speech and Debate Tournament.
Tricia Masenthin / The Lawrence Times
Olympic champion Billy Mills encourages youth at Lawrence school named in his honor
Two special lunch guests and a small entourage visited Billy Mills Middle School on Tuesday. Billy Mills himself, and his wife, Patricia, greeted students and educators at the Lawrence school named after the Olympic gold medalist.
Courtesy of Milo Bitters
Student-led group Hang12 curates shows with goal to elevate young Lawrence artists
Hang12, a student-led curatorial board run out of the Lawrence Arts Center, plans and runs art shows and art-centered community events with the goal of elevating young artists from the Lawrence area.
University of Kansas / Contributed Photo
KU junior majoring in behavioral neuroscience earns Newman Civic Fellow honor
Abeer Iqbal, a junior at KU, has been named a Newman Civic Fellow, “an award that recognizes student leaders who demonstrated an investment in their community through service, research and advocacy.”
Tricia Masenthin/The Lawrence Times
West Middle Schoolers organize 5K, carnival to fund marquee
Members of West Middle School’s Student Council will launch a new tradition this spring while raising money for an outdoor sign.
Via Future City website
Southwest Middle School students earn several honors at Future City competition
The students of Southwest Middle School’s Future City team have earned top honors, including best essay in the nation.
Contributed Photo
Free State High School director of orchestras honored as educator of distinction
Judy Erpelding, director of orchestras at Free State High School, has been selected as a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction.
University of Kansas/Contributed Images
All 5 nominated KU juniors win Goldwater scholarships, a university record
Five KU juniors have been awarded a prestigious scholarship that recognizes their academic excellence and involvement in undergraduate research.
Sarah Hoadley/Contributed Photo
Lawrence student wins state spelling bee; will head to national bee in June
An eighth grade student at Liberty Memorial Central Middle School took home the title of state spelling bee champion over the weekend, and he’ll compete at the national bee this summer.
Contributed Photo
Free State junior awarded 2022 Princeton Prize in Race Relations
Soledad Edison, 17, has been inspiring conversations of equity in the classroom since middle school. Now a junior at Free State, he has a passion for connecting with diverse people and finding solutions to issues facing marginalized students.
Contributed images; background photos via Unsplash
Douglas County educators advance to Kansas Teacher of the Year honors
Educators across the state, including four from Douglas County, will vie this weekend to advance to the final round in the Kansas Teacher of the Year awards.
Andrea Albright / The Lawrence Times
Lawrence student robotics club brings STEAM heat to regional competition
Team STEAM, the Lawrence area schools robotics club, qualified seventh out of 28 teams and then was eliminated in the quarterfinals Saturday at the Heartland Regional competition, but they still brought home awards.
Kelly Thompson / Contributed Photo
Photo: Free State debate duo win school’s first Round Robin tournament
The Free State High School debate team of John Marshall and Serena Rupp, both seniors, have added another first to the school’s résumé with their latest tournament win.
University of Kansas/Contributed Images
KU juniors nominated for Goldwater scholarships recognizing academic excellence, STEM research
Five KU juniors are up for the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater scholarship — the “premier undergraduate award to encourage excellence in science, engineering and mathematics.”
Contributed and file photos
Lawrence High School journalism adviser named Kansas Master Teacher
Barb Tholen — “life-changing” journalism adviser and graphic design teacher, whose classroom students call “a magical place” at Lawrence High School — has been named a Kansas Master Teacher.
