CONTACT:  JIM MORRIS
Director, Public Information
573-751-3469

Vol. 43, No. 21

March 26, 2009

Top Students to Receive State Citizenship Award

Fifteen public high school students will be honored tomorrow by the State Board of Education as recipients of the 2009 Outstanding Achievement in Citizenship Award.  The students will be recognized during a luncheon at the Governor’s Mansion in Jefferson City.  First Lady Georganne Nixon will bring greetings at the luncheon. 

The Missouri Legislature established the citizenship award in 1990. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education conducts the award program annually with assistance and financial support from The Missouri Bar.  The 2009 recipients are:

  • Lynn Andreas
  • Mrunal  Desai 
  • Gabriel Eggers
  • Christopher Goedken
  • Benjamin Kryder
  • Julian Nicks
  • Austin Osborn
  • Jessica Penland
  • Nathan Rackers
  • Brittany Rymer
  • Allison Silverstein
  • Laura Sprague
  • Connor Stangler
  • Alec Sydlow
  • Alexandria Witt 

Kingsville High School

Eureka High School, Rockwood School District

Jackson High School

South Nodaway County High School

Webster Groves High School

University City High School

Carl Junction High School

Hazelwood Central High School

Linn High School

Lee’s Summit West High School

Parkway Central High School

Richland High School

Rock Bridge High School, Columbia

Parkway South High School

Sullivan High School

Educators and members of The Missouri Bar’s Advisory Committee on Citizenship Education reviewed the nominations and selected the winners.

Every public high school is eligible to nominate one senior.  Students are selected on the basis of their academic achievement in civics and government courses, performance in civics and government-related extracurricular activities, and exemplary community service. Students also must submit an essay about the importance of citizenship.

The awards will be presented by Thomas Burke, president of The Missouri Bar; Russell Thompson, president of the State Board of Education; and Bert Schulte, Interim Commissioner of Education.  Each student will receive an award plaque and a $50 U.S. Savings Bond.

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For more information, contact: Bill Gerling, social studies consultant for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (573-751-0398), or Millie Aulbur, director of law-related education for The Missouri Bar (573-635-4128).