2023 Shooting Stars Finalists
The Arts make an important contribution to any community’s quality of life and are an essential part of every student’s educational experience, teaching 21st Century workplace skills, innovation, critical thinking, collaboration, communication and self-expression.
The Shooting Stars Program celebrates young artists and arts educators for their artistic achievements with college scholarships, awards and honorariums. Since 1997, the Shooting Stars Program has recognized over 1,000 high school seniors for their artistic excellence and contributions to their community.
Nine first place scholarships of $1,400 each, nine second place scholarships of $700 each and nine teacher honorariums* of $300 each will be awarded (*to the nominating teacher of the first place scholarship recipient) at the annual Shooting Stars Gala on April 2, 2023. Shooting Stars’ scholarships, awards and teacher honorariums are funded by private donations from corporations, foundations and individuals.
Category | Finalist Name | Nominating Teacher | High School |
---|---|---|---|
Theatre Performance | Brett Oplotnik | Sydney Kohart | Blue Valley Northwest |
Cannon Simpson | Jeff Yarnell | Blue Valley | |
Carter Harvey | Jon Copeland | Mill Valley | |
Claire Deardorff | Derek Cross | Shawnee Mission West | |
Ella Bentley | Dustin Pence | Olathe North | |
Emma-Kate Salin | Taryn Gervais | Blue Valley Southwest | |
Grace Fields | Brian Capello | Shawnee Mission East | |
Jay Allen | David Hastings | Olathe South | |
Layla Abu Saada | Eddie Shafer | Olathe East | |
Lee Barth | Sarah Cronkleton-Kidd | De Soto | |
Lillie Barr | Reed Uthe | Blue Valley West | |
Naida Kosek | Mark Swezey | Shawnee Mission South | |
Olivia Cupp-Korb | Alisha Morris | Olathe West | |
Piper Warren | Jason Hagg | Gardner-Edgerton | |
Sage Hawkins | Ben Bartlett | Shawnee Mission North | |
Voice Classical | Brayden Heath | Jessie Reimer | Mill Valley |
Brynn Friesen | Samuel Dollins | Blue Valley | |
Claire Doherty | Beth Richey-Sullivan | Blue Valley Northwest | |
Elaine Jensen | Kelli Baker | Gardner-Edgerton | |
Ellen Kryer | Kimberly Modelski | Blue Valley West | |
Emily Mlodzik | Mindy Fry | De Soto | |
Eva Girard | Jaclyn Krulik | Blue Valley North | |
Jack Wilson | Micah Horton | Olathe North | |
Janiel Balino | Catherine Boone | Saint Thomas Aquinas | |
Kaitlyn Lingle | Steve Gordon | Maranatha Academy | |
Kate Meives | Laura Klaassen | Olathe East | |
Maddie Blackman | Laura VanLeeuwen | Olathe West | |
Samantha Wallenburg | Derek Cross | Shawnee Mission West | |
Sydney Muder | Elise Peterson | Olathe South | |
Production & Design | Claire McLewin | Amy Hastings | Olathe Northwest |
Emily Heflin | Alisha Morris | Olathe West | |
Hannah Willard | Garry Goddard | Olathe East | |
Katie Bauman | Dustin Pence | Olathe North | |
Kurt Freeman | Tom Defeo | Shawnee Mission East | |
Savannah Miner | Shawnasea Holst | Shawnee Mission Northwest | |
Sophia Krauskopf | Jason Hagg | Gardner-Edgerton | |
2D Visual Art | Ahna Chang | Amanda Lee | The Barstow School |
Ashley Rottinghaus | Roger Messersmith | Olathe South | |
Avery Johnsmeyer | Emily Patterson | Blue Valley Southwest | |
Didi Fu | Lori Ludwig | Olathe East | |
Jade Achen | Adam Finkleston | Shawnee Mission East | |
Julie Steeb | Tim Mispagel | Do Soto | |
Karissa Rangel | Kathleen Bock | Olathe North | |
Lettie Featherston | Courtney Dougherty | Shawnee Mission South | |
Lily Steinbrink | Chris LaValley | Blue Valley Northwest | |
Macie Hartwick | Cherie Dean | Maranatha Academy | |
Madison Orth | Toni Britt | Gardner-Edgerton | |
Max Leiker | Anna Johnson | Saint Thomas Aquinas | |
Mich Morasch | Ashley Moll | Blue Valley | |
Mikenna Heller | Melissa Terryberry | Shawnee Mission Northwest | |
Patty Morales | Tom Holland | Blue Valley North | |
Rose Bennett | Stephanie Dalley | Shawnee Mission North | |
Sydney Barge | Erica Matyak | Mill Valley | |
3D Visual Art | Alejandra Loya | Krystal Strong | Mill Valley |
Alyssa Merry | Michael Johnston | Blue Valley | |
Aubrey Sanchez | Lisa Hirsch | Olathe Northwest | |
Audrey Roberts | Carly Kimbrough | Blue Valley Northwest | |
Graelen Carter | Courtney Dougherty | Shawnee Mission South | |
Hadley Tuel | Carly Graceffa | Blue Valley Southwest | |
Lana Skaggs | Elijah Schraad | Shawnee Mission West | |
Leah Tarwater | Chelsie Kane | Saint Thomas Aquinas | |
Lola Sidie | Jennifer Hensley | Shawnee Mission East | |
Mira Becker | Nicholas Tomasic | Blue Valley West | |
Molly Ramsey | Rachel Elyachar | Blue Valley North | |
Ruby Dickie | Brad Reinking | Spring Hill | |
Strings | Aidan Cobos | Amy Fear | Blue Valley |
Alana Schmalzried-Lugo | Joel Martin | Olathe Northwest | |
Andrea Allen | Cecily Mahan | Olathe North | |
Kayoko Thornton | Travis Hale | Blue Valley North | |
Lisa Ji | Andrew Book | Blue Valley West | |
Literature | Abby Rasmussen | Lindsey McFall | Shawnee Mission South |
Abigail Swanson | Amy Anderson | Shawnee Mission East | |
Caroline Stickney | Deidre Zongker | Olathe North | |
Catheryn Poe | Zachary Gall | Blue Valley West | |
Jacqueline Kallas | Sarah Taber | St. Teresa’s Academy | |
Quindale Adams | Rachel Mulvihill | Olathe East | |
Supriya Bolla | Kat Buchanan | Blue Valley North | |
Sydney Bonnstetter | Ryan Meara | De Soto | |
Tess Vanberg | Maureen Davis | Blue Valley | |
Wyatt Vaughn | Cindy Roth | Olathe South | |
Photography | Alex Dean | Mark Mosier | Blue Valley |
Alyssa Ratcliffe | Mary Schulte | Gardner-Edgerton | |
Audrey Morehead | Adam Finkelston | Shawnee Mission East | |
Ava Recker | Sarah McKee | Blue Valley Southwest | |
Clara Burke | Aimee Price | Blue Valley West | |
Comfort Adegoke | Kimberly Ruttan | Shawnee Mission Northwest | |
John Costello | Melissa Sellers | Olathe East | |
Julia Schnittker | Mark Rice | Shawnee Mission South | |
Leah Candelario | Emily Hensley | Blue Valley North | |
Regan Rieder | Cherie Dean | Maranatha Academy | |
Sophia Volovoy | Brian Pollack | Blue Valley Northwest | |
Winds & Percussion | Alex Brady | Helen Harrelson | Saint James Academy |
Jack McNiel | Brandon Lesando | Blue Valley Southwest | |
Josh Droegemeier | Will Biggs | Gardner-Edgerton | |
Liam Courson | Jeff Smikahl | Olathe East | |
Nithya Kailad | Josh Maddux | Olathe North | |
Oliver Zhang | Daniel Freeman | Blue Valley North | |
Quinlan Hall | Bill Thomas | Shawnee Mission West | |
Sienna DelBorrell | Deb Steiner | Mill Valley | |
Trey Krizek | Justin Love | Blue Valley West |