Lawrence Public Schools appreciate the active involvement of parents and community members in our schools. As part of November's American Education Week observance, USD 497 and the Lawrence Education Association celebrate school volunteerism by honoring "Friends of Education" from each school and the school district. As we salute these outstanding individuals for their dedication and commitment to our schools, we thank all school volunteers for supporting student achievement!
"Friends of Education" Honorees
2007-2008
Broken Arrow – Laura Bellinger
Central Junior High – Robbie Derritt
Cordley – Phil Wedge
Deerfield – Durand Reiber
EH Early Childhood Family Center – Colleen Quick
Free State High School - David & Peg Livingood
Hillcrest – Juli Warren-Ward
Kennedy – Dick Lind
Langston Hughes – Courtney Brungardt
Lawrence High School – Craig Butler
Lawrence Public Schools – Kirsten Flory
New York – Stephanie Olson
Pinckney – John Drees
Prairie Park – Amy Garvin
Quail Run – Barb Heeb
Schwegler – Jeanie Felmlee
South Junior High – Deb McElhaney
Southwest Junior High – Karen Schonewise
Sunflower – Betsy Kelly
Sunset Hill - Everett & Kim Ledbetter
Wakarusa Valley – Pat Middaugh
West Junior High – Christina Diedel
Woodlawn – Janette Kroeger
2006-07
Broken Arrow – Deb McElhaney
Central Junior High – Nora Murphy
Cordley – Don Varnau
Deerfield - Carolyn Shillings
East Heights Early Childhood – Anne Martin
Free State High School – Cindy Folsom
Hillcrest – Ed Krieger
Kennedy - Rebecca Kessler and Ed Rockhold
Langston Hughes – Paula Pepin and Jaime Stancliffe
Lawrence High School – Jaime Hulse
New York – Janet Broers
Pinckney – Jane Tusten
Prairie Park – Erma Hadl
Quail Run - Susan and Chris Eagle
Schwegler – Marie Balmilero
South Junior High – Terry Jacobsen
Southwest Junior High – Janet Finnestad
Sunflower - Kevin and Susan Stuever
Sunset Hill - Amy and Bill Adams
USD 497 - Patrick Manning, McDonald's Restaurants, Lawrence Education Achievement Partners (LEAP)
Wakarusa Valley - Amy and Karl Gottschamer
West Junior High – Lisa Flaig and Mary Ann Graham
Woodlawn – Deborah Altus and Jerry Jost
2005-06
Broken Arrow – Debby Smith
Central Junior High – Deb Rake
Cordley – Bob Gent
Deerfield – Karen Cooper
East Heights Early Childhood Family Center – Heather Stein
Free State High School – Cris Aiken
Hillcrest - Jack and Susan Mercer
Kennedy - Kim Fuller
Langston Hughes – Carla Saathoff
Lawrence High School - Bill and Marlene Penny
New York – Carolyn Landgrebe
Pinckney – Mike Cormack and Jill Hardesty
Prairie Park – Betty Hernandez
Quail Run – Beth Flitcraft
Schwegler – Dan Heptig
South Junior High – Brent Meyers
Southwest Junior High – Janet Finnestad
Sunflower – Lorrie Belcher
Sunset Hill – Leonard Steinle
USD 497 – Janet Murphy, Lawrence Boys and Girls Club
Wakarusa Valley - Brad and Carrie Shuck
West Junior High – Mike Lyons
Woodlawn - Don and Cathy Lynn
2004-05
Broken Arrow - Tim Carpenter
Central Junior High - Don Nieto
Cordley - Julie Nice
Deerfield - Cris Griffith
East Heights Early Childhood - Christina Hess
Free State High School - Larry Burton, Wayne Martin, and Randy Altman of Royal Crest Bowling Lanes
Hillcrest - P.J. Mather
Kennedy - Ronda Geddings
Langston Hughes - Kenny Click and Bob Kristiansen
Lawrence Alternative High School - Fred Scheller
Lawrence High School - Rosy Elmore
New York - Diane Simpson
Pinckney - Susan McCarthy
Prairie Park - Cherryl Smith
Quail Run - Craig Weinaug
Schwegler - Angie Rexroad
South Junior High School - Patty McGuire
Southwest Junior High - Monty Hobbs
Sunflower - Jennifer Kelly
Sunset Hill - Connie Gore
USD 497 - Joan Golden, LEAP, Adventures in Imagination Partnership, US Bank
Wakarusa Valley - Phil Wedge
West Junior High - Mike Van Zuiden
Woodlawn - Angie Conrad
2003-04
Broken Arrow - Joni Fornelli
Central Junior High - Jennifer Glynn and Larry Hoyle
Cordley - Audrey Taylor and Matt Costabile
Deerfield - Sherri Dedloff
East Heights Early Childhood - J.R. Demby
Free State High School - Mark and Marsha Buhler
Hillcrest - Mike and Cathy Hut
Kennedy - Autumn Weiss
Langston Hughes - Jodi Trast
Lawrence Alternative High School - Buck Rowland
Lawrence High School - Thomas Murray
New York - Glenn Robinson
Pinckney - Marilyn and Randy Kahn
Prairie Park - Charlotte Marthaler
Quail Run - Kari Lottes
Schwegler - Tom Boxberger
South Junior High School - Peggy Willliams
Southwest Junior High - Stuart and Susan Bell
Sunflower - Joan Noller
Sunset Hill - Becky Spence
USD 497 - Mike Mikesic, Independence Inc.
Wakarusa Valley - Gloria Sherman
West Junior High School - Jeannie Robinson
Woodlawn - Kellee Schmid
2002-03
Broken Arrow- Rosie Robertson
Centennial - Laura Denneler, Marianne Reed, Lisa Oller, Diane Price, Gay Schneider; Lucy Harris, Gilliam Melott and Angela Seybert
Central Junior High - Deb Rake
Cordley - Judy Keller and Tom Hoffman
Deerfield - Chris Everett
East Heights - Vickie Scott, Kirsten Roussel and Teresa Marshall
Free State High School - Cal Karlin
Hillcrest - Stacy Riggins
Kennedy - Laurie Pfantz
Langston Hughes - Paige H ofer
Lawrence Alternative High School - Katie Whitenight Senecal
Lawrence High School - Cyndi Mona
New York - Steve Robinson and Lori Learned
Pinckney - Rick Prum and Karen Kressin
Prairie Park - Paul and Christine Phelps
Quail Run - Chris and Jeff Bandle
Riverside - Missy Allen
Schwegler - Becky Willmott
South Junior High - Karen Frick
Southwest - Doug and Terri Wilson
Sunflower - Linda Browning
Sunset Hill - Kristie Mullenix
USD 497 - Jackie Ferguson and Rosy Elmore, Citizens for Students Campaign
Wakarusa Valley - Karen Andregg
West Junior High - Diannia Affalter
Woodlawn - Deb Vannicola
2001-02
Broken Arrow - Joanne Renfro, Mark and Sheila Stogsdill
Centennial - Stacey and Brent Lamb
Central Junior High - Gary Smith
Cordley - Joe Casad
Deerfield - Maria Craft
Dole Center - John Huston and Dr. Barbara Thompson
East Heights - Richard Holzmeister
Free State High School - Richard Konzem, KU Athletic Department
Grant - Rudy and Angie Conrad
Hillcrest - Paula Martin and Kurt Falkenstien
Kennedy - Korianne Daboda
Langston Hughes - Becky Orth
Lawrence Alternative High School - Ann Bracker and Bracker's Good Earth Clays
Lawrence High School - Karen Frick
New York - Laurie Hart
Pinckney - Donna Pliler
Prairie Park - Erica Edwards
Quail Run - Kim Liebl
Riverside - Gail Tompkins
Schwegler - Pam Montgomery
South Junior High - John Rathbun
Southwest Junior High - Deb Spencer
Sunflower - Kaye Drahozal
Sunset Hill - Gennie Ellis
USD 497 - Jerry Chaffin, The University of Kansas
Wakarusa Valley - Kim Banning-Bohmann and Sonia Stofkooper
West Junior High - Marsha Buhler
Woodlawn - Dorothy Miltner
2000-01
Broken Arrow - Michael Davidson
Centennial - The Vestal Family
Central Junior High - Mary Lou Wright
Cordley Elementary - Laurie Dale-Marshall
Deerfield - Jo and Bob Garcia
East Heights - Barbara Kelly
Free State High School - Randy and Leann Towner
Grant - Terry Golden
Hillcrest - Candace Koch
Kennedy - Karilyn Kennedy
Langston Hughes - Tammy Frank
Lawrence Alternative High School - Dave Leach
Lawrence High School - Bill Bunce
New York - Gayle Davis
Pinckney - Earl Richardson
Prairie Park - Jennifer Hendrix
Quail Run - Colleen Lignell
Riverside - Lori Hanson
Schwegler - Sue Iverson
South Junior High School - Marcia McFarlane
Southwest Junior High - Tom and Marilyn Dobski
Sunflower - Steve Allen and Jane Getto
Sunset Hill - JoAnn Devin
USD 497 - Ginger Wehner, KU Credit Union
Wakarusa Valley - Bruce Leinmiller
West Junior High - Mick Briscoe
Woodlawn - Jackie Schafer
1999-00
Broken Arrow - Ted and Marcia McFarlane
Centennial Elementary - Diana and Joel Frederick
Central Junior High School - Ruth Hurst
Cordley Elementary - Jeanine Thurmaier
Deerfield Elementary - Ann Ozorkiewicz
East Heights - Audrey Sheridan
Free State High School - Jean Milstead
Grant - Nancy McKee
Hillcrest Elementary - Jay Haugh
Kennedy - Sue Gibbons
Lawrence Alternative High School - Lynne Green
Lawrence High - Tony May
Lawrence Public Schools - The Bobs, Lawrence Schools Foundation Bobs' Award Donors
New York - Jeff Cassidy and Carolyn McGruder
Pinckney- Jennifer Glenn
Prairie Park Elementary - Linda Long
Quail Run - Cheri Berg
Riverside - Tom Crice and Connie Adams
Schwegler - Sam Rabiola
South Junior High School - Karen Frick
Southwest Junior High School - Barb Willoughby
Sunflower Elementary - Kim Haig
Sunset Hill Elementary - Jamie Wyatt
Wakarusa Valley Elementary - Julie Bernard and Lyle Brubaker
West Junior High - Karen Anderson
Woodlawn - Patsy Moody and Dennis Greenfield
1998-99
Broken Arrow - Lissa Revenew
Centennial Elementary - Susan Postlehwaite
Central Junior High - Theresa Schmidt
Cordley Elementary - Julie Nice
Deerfield Elmentary - Kelli Brahler
East Heights - June Boyajian
Free State High School - Mike Jerrick
Grant Elementary - Eileen Larson and John Naramore
Hillcrest Elementary - Marcia Buhler
Kennedy Elementary- Tina Roberts
Lawrence Alternative High School - Kathryn Ladoux
Lawrence High School - Linda Davis
New York Elementary - Carolyn Masington
Pinckney Elementary - Holli Joyce
Prairie Park Elementary - Lynette Miller
Quail Run Elementary - Deb Howard
Riverside Elementary - Tannya and Jeff Miller
Schwegler Elementary - Mary Halloran
South Junior High - Kay Rytting
Southwest Junior High - Sue Morgan
Sunflower Elementary - Lori Killen
Sunset Hill Elementary - Diane Guthrie and Mark McCanon
USD 497 - William Dann, Lawrence Schools Foundation Donor; and Dillons grocery stores
Wakarusa Valley Elementary - Dene Parker
West Junior High - Marilyn Zerwekh
Woodlawn Elementary - Ruth Hurst
Previous USD 497 Friends of Education
1997-98 Wanda Williams, Lawrence Schools Foundation Board of Trustees
1996-97 Jeannie Mellinger, LEAP
1995-96 Mercantile Bank, LEAP
1994-95 Ron Hurst, community volunteer
1993-94 Dr. George Crawford, The University of Kansas;
Brad Addington, Lawrence Journal-World;
and Hank Booth, Lawrence Schools Foundation Board of Trustees
1992-93 Flora Wyatt, The University of Kansas
1991-92 Tom Erb, The University of Kansas
1990-91 Martha Skeet, Douglas County EHU, Phenix Club and 4-H