Area Students Graduate from Butler Community College’s Early College Academy

Butler Community College’s Early College Academy held its annual graduation ceremony on May 6, 2018. Eighty students from area high schools completed their associate degree from the academy and will graduate in the next few weeks with their high school diploma. Students who attend the Academy came from Andover schools, Augusta, Bluestem, Circle, Derby, Douglass, El Dorado, Mulvane and Rose Hill schools.

Butler’s president Kim Krull, Ph.D., told the Academy students how proud she and Butler were of their accomplishments.

“This graduating class has amassed $1,444,685 in scholarship offers,” Krull told the crowd. “You are an amazing group of students who are working really hard on a rigorous path.”

Jayden Austin of Augusta High School said the program put her ahead in finances and ability.

“It was cheaper for my parents,” Austin said. “It also gave me more opportunities for friends and activities.”

Austin will attend the University of Kansas next year and major in human biology. Kennedy Henry of Andover plans to attend Wichita State University next fall. She hopes to be a physician’s assistant.

“This program brought me closer to so many people that have the same interests as me,” Henry said. “It showed me what I want to do in the future.”

For Payton Sadowski of El Dorado the academy was monumental. Sadowski will attend Fort Hays State University in the fall and major in financial planning.

“It helped me gain both study habits and life skills,” Sadowski said.

Emma Springer of Mulvane, after job shadowing a heart surgeon, realized that the operating table was not for her. Instead, she did some research and decided to pursue dentistry, after she completes her biology degree from Newman University.

Keegen Leth-Nissen of Benton decided to stay in the Greater Butler County Area after high school because of the job he obtained through the Academy. While in school, he worked as an AutoCAD drafter. This was a job he got through his Butler professor.

“The Academy opened up my eyes,” Leth-Nissen said. “It gave me so many opportunities and helped make me a better student and a better person.”

Leth-Nissen will attend Wichita State University this fall. He was one of several students who received a PLUS award, recognizing them for their Positive Attitude, Leadership, Unity and Spirit. Other students who received this award were Madison Mabie (Douglass), Brooklyn Flower (Augusta), Abigail Yamamoto (Andover) and Jillian Harper (Douglass).

Several students received honors. Many, like Corbyn Jones of Rose Hill, received internships. The current academies include: Business & Entrepreneurship, Engineering Technology, Health Sciences, Cyber Security, Education, Fire Science and 3D. This fall, Butler will offer an Aviation, Humanities and an Automotive Technology academy.

“You are ready to take on the world,” Lori Winningham, Vice President of Academics, told the graduates. “Wherever you go you have a good foundation to stand on.”

Butler Community College’s Early College Academies were selected as the National Exemplar Career Preparedness Award recipient for Postsecondary Institutions for the 2016-2017 ACT College and Career Readiness Campaign.

 

Andover:

*Abigail Yamamoto

Austin Records

Brianna Rosbach

Grace McDonough

-Kaitlyn Johnson

Kennedy Henry

Shannon Young

*Sidney Rucker

 

Andover Central:

Avery Cunningham

*Caitlyn Pfeifer

Garrett Leibovitz

Joseph Duncan

-Taylor Sears

Zachary Huber

 

Andover eCademy:

Peyton Blumenshine

 

Augusta:

-Alex Busch

-Brooke Patterson

-Brooklyn Flower

-Jayden Austin

-Michael Bruce

 

Bluestem:

Clay Hogoboom

Lindsay Nichols

Trinity Masters

Tristen Williams

 

Circle:

Autumn Olson

-Keegan Leth-Nissen

 

Derby:

Aleesa Meek

Alexis Whittaker

Annelise Scates

Brekehl Westbrook

Brianna Ryan

Emily Hightower

Emily Proctor

Kayle Trissal

-Kylee Roeder

Madison Ediger

Maryah Whiteman

-Michaela Hansen

-Nathan Quinton

Paije Crossman

Ryan Monagahn

Samantha Brumbaugh

*Taylor Silva

Tykeraih Reeves

 

Douglass:

Calvyn Swigart

Hannah Powell

*Jillian Harper

Kaden Dunham

*Madison Mabie

Natasha Edmonds

William Landis

 

El Dorado:

Allyssa Jensen

Payton Sadowski

-Yasmine Kabutu

 

Life Classical School:

Cameron Duncan

 

Mulvane:

*Adam Mouak

Ashley Shelby

-Emma Springer

-Haley Wood

Journey Baker

Puritiee Soto

Sierra Prince

Taylor Claar

 

Rose Hill:

*Chloe Hager

Corbyn Jones

Dakota Bastin

-Danyel Yardley

Gabrielle Bentley

-Grace Graham

Hunter Gunnarson

Jaden McDonald

-Jason Gilchrist

-Kelsea Kill

Krystal Smith

Lauren Jackson

Michaela Rollins

Morgan Gunnarson

Morgyn Cody

Sarah Lazar

*Shalen Wilkinson

 

*Order of the Gold (4.0 GPA)

-Order of the Purple (3.75 GPA)

 

Cutline: Corbyn Jones of Rose Hill speaks at graduation