It turns out Sumner Academy has another good team.

Members of the Sumner Academy forensics and debate team spoke and performed for board members at the Tuesday, March 9 meeting of the Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education. 

Coach Jamelle Brown told a little bit about forensics and debate and then introduced her students.

Their names and topics are:

Rachel Marshall - What the National Forensics League Board Offers

Candace Villanueva – Original Oration Mini Performance

Khrystal Johnson – Prose Interpretation Mini Performance

Sedgwick Weaver – Highlights of the 8th Grade Debate Team’s Success

David Hutchinson – Highlights of the Forensics Team’s Success

Marcus Banks and Robert Coppage – Duo Interpretation, Mini Performance

Candace Villanueva

David Hutchinson

Jamelle Brown

Khrystal Johnson

Marcus Banks and Robert Coppage

Mia Richardson

Rachel Marshall

Sedgwick Weaver

Make room for another Kansas City, Kan., League team at a state tournament.

The Sumner Academy Sabres defeated Basehor-Linwood 53-50 tonight in Basehor, Kan. Reese Holliday played a great game, scoring 27 points.

The Sabres will advance to next week's 4A state tournament in Salina, Kan. Earlier this week, Washington advanced to the 5A state tournament.

FULL RECAP SOON.

Next week's Kansas City, Kan., Board of Education meeting will be held at Sumner Academy of Arts and Sciences.

The meeting begins at 5 p.m.

Sumner's located at 1610 N. 8th Street in downtown Kansas City, Kan.

By ALAN HOSKINS, Kansan Contributor

High school students from Turner, Tonganoxie, J.C. Harmon and Sumner Academy will join Kansas City Kansas Community College choirs in performing Faure’s “Requiem” Sunday, March 7.

A High School Invitational Master Works Concert, it will be performed at 4 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Church, 94th and State Avenue. Open to the public, there is no charge.

The concert is being directed by Dale Shetler, retiring Director of Vocal Music at KCKCC, in conjunction with high school directors Becky Thomas, Sumner Academy; Juli Hossain, J.C. Harmon; and Tom Gifford, Tonganoxie.

"They love having their singers participate in this event,” said Shelter. “Their students learn a tremendous amount during the five Saturday rehearsals on our campus and bring those skills back to their program and influence their choirs with tremendous enthusiasm and excitement.”

Solos by soprano Bailey Wetta, baritone Michael Burnworth and tenor Shaun Lindsey will highlight the performance of Faure’s “Requiem.”

In addition, the KCKCC Chamber Choir will perform Ned Rorem’s “Three Prayers” and the Kyrie from William Byrd’s “Mass for Four Voices” while the KCKCC Jazz Choir will perform Vijay Singh’s arrangement of “I Wish You Love,” a Dave Cross arrangement of “Wee Dot;” and Phil Mattson’s “If I Love You” featuring soloist Amy Olbert.

Michael Young and Gabe Harris will be scatting on “Wee Dot” with well-known Kansas City jazz artist Mike Ning on jazz piano.

Two Wyandotte County students joined other University of Kansas journalism students in developing comprehensive marketing campaigns aimed at changing the recycling, energy use and transportation habits of fellow students, faculty and staff.

Bonner Springs alum Lisa D. Zarate and Sumner Academy alum Camille L. Clark joined other students at KU in developing the plans.

The KU Energy Council and Center for Sustainability asked students in Journalism 676 Strategic Campaigns to develop marketing plans that engaged the campus community in creating a culture of conservation. The students’ recommendations for marketing, advertising and public relations will provide a foundation to “green” KU.

“I’m astonished,” said Jeremy Viscomi, project coordinator for the KU Energy Council. “This is the level of work that I’d expect to see from professional agencies.”

Every semester, students in the Strategic Campaigns class develop research-based recommendations to solve communications problems for actual clients. Bob Basow, associate professor of journalism, said the course is nearly 50 years old and that he himself took it in 1966.

For the capstone course in the school’s strategic communication track, Basow and other journalism faculty members have coached students to create campaigns for area corporations, public service organizations, research institutions and government agencies.

Throughout the fall 2009 semester, senior-level students in Basow’s class conducted dozens of interviews and focus groups with students, faculty and staff across the university. Sponsored by contributions from local utility companies Westar Energy and Kansas City Power and Light, students also led fact-finding field trips to universities with similar environmental aspirations, including the University of Colorado-Boulder, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Kansas State University.

The class divided into six teams and used research to develop creative, real-world marketing campaigns. After more than 7,000 hours of work outside the classroom, the KU Energy Council and Center for Sustainability will use the results to benefit the entire Lawrence campus.

“The project allowed us to take advantage of the tremendous talents and creativity of students to advance work that will benefit future students at KU,” said Jeff Severin, director of the Center for Sustainability.

The Center for Sustainability promotes and facilitates research and other learning opportunities that address environmental improvement, economic prosperity and social responsibility.

The center helps develop interdisciplinary research teams, supports student research projects, sponsors service learning courses, coordinates a campuswide network of sustainability ambassadors and promotes sustainable practices at KU.

Last week, Sumner Academy of Arts and Sciences made headlines here at The Kansas City Kansan and other media outlets by being the only school to be named in U.S. News & World Report's Top 100 list.

It's a great honor and a shining example of what education can be in Kansas City, Kan., and Wyandotte County.

But let me offer just an alternative point of view: Would the Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools District, as a whole, be better without Sumner Academy?

Now, now: I'm not a Washington, Harmon or a graduate from any other rival school of Sumner.

I'm actually a proud graduate of Sumner Academy. Class of 2003, as a matter of fact. I received a high quality education from the school and without it, I probably would not be running The Kansan right now.

However, consider a few points.

Test scores would be dramatically better at the four other high schools in the school district. In some cases, the four other schools in the district can miss AYP in some groups by just a few students. A few.

Those few students are probably attending Sumner Academy, rather than Washington, Wyandotte, Harmon or Schlagle high schools.

Let's make an admittedly apples and oranges sports comparison: Sumner Academy is like the New York Yankees.

The Yankees, because of unlimited resources, have Derek Jeter, C.C. Sabathia, A-Rod, Mariano Rivera, Mark Teixeira and other solid players like Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon and Nick Swischer.

By having "the best of the brightest" at Sumner Academy, it can be a devastating affect for the other four schools. Take away the 160 on average seniors who graduate from Sumner Academy each year and divide them among the four other high schools.

You would have (again, on average) 40 students with 2.5 GPAs, solid ACT scores and great Kansas assessment scores at each school. Again, this is not a shot at Sumner. It's a great school and any student who wants a challenge should enroll there.

But I would love to see what would happen at the four other schools if Sumner Academy went away.

It's not realistic. I imagine some parents would probably move to Johnson County and some schools in the district would not benefit as much as others.

But back to the Yankees comparison: How much better would baseball be if some of the stars from Boston and New York played in Kansas City, Minnesota, Milwaukee, Florida and San Diego?

Other than Sox and Yanks fans, I imagine most baseball fans would think the sport is better.

Rather than just have one school that was great, how about four really good high schools in the district?

U.S. News and World Report is the latest magazine to honor Sumner Academy of Arts and Sciences as a top high school in the nation.

Joining Newsweek, which has ranked Sumner in its list for a number of years, the magazine ranked the Kansas City, Kan., school as the 62nd best in the entire country.

The publication looked at over 21,000 high schools in the 48 continental states and Washington D.C.  The ranking is based on the College Readiness Index.

“It is gratifying to have U.S. News and World Report magazine recognize the excellence that has become a tradition here at Sumner Academy,” said Gene Fite, the school's principal. “Our staff holds our students to the highest expectations, and the students live up to those expectations.”

0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false Sumner is the only school in Kansas to make the Top 100 list.

• Schlagle 64, Westport 24

The F.L. Schlagle Lady Stallions are off to a solid start, easily winning a road game against Westport Thursday night.

Schlagle was led by Erin Copeland's 21 points. Ashleigh Downs scored 15, while Paris Johnson added 13 for the Lady Stallions.

Schlagle led 22-14 at the half, but put things away in the third quarter, outscoring Westport 21-3. Overall, Schlagle dominated the second half to the tune of 42-10.

No one for Westport scored in double figures.

• Olathe Northwest 41, Sumner Academy 30

The Sumner Academy Lady Sabres were unable to hold a nine-point first quarter lead and a seven-point halftime lead, falling in their first game of the season.

Kathleen Brisbane led Sumner with eight points; Sameia Kendall added seven for the Lady Sabres.

The turning point of the game came in the third quarter, as Sumner was shutout 13-0. Olathe Northwest was able to to build on the lead and defeat the Lady Sabres for the second consecutive year.

Alexandria Blaurock scored six for Sumner.

The Kansas City, Kan., League favorites Sumner Academy held their Blue-Silver Scrimmage this afternoon before taking a few days off before Thanksgiving Break.

The Sabres are led by seniors Reese Holliday and Davonte Chaney. Holliday was named the league's player of the year last year by coaches.

He was tabbed as this year's preseason player of the year.

University of Kansas junior and Sumner Academy alum Anthony Johnson will be honored Tuesday for his involvement with the Dean's Scholars Program.

Johnson is one of just a few students involved in the program.

More information, courtesy of a press release:

Kathleen McCluskey-Fawcett, director of the honors program, will welcome returning and newly selected Dean’s Scholars. Greg Simpson, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, will offer remarks on the importance of the program in building diversity within the talent pool available for liberal arts and science faculties.

Established in 1992, the Dean’s Scholars Program is part of the University Honors Program and is geared for academically talented students in the liberal arts and sciences who are interested in pursuing graduate study and who represent groups traditionally underrepresented in graduate education.

Dean’s Scholars receive annual $1,000 scholarships, are matched with distinguished faculty mentors and are required to complete special seminars designed to build skills necessary for graduate study. Students are selected as sophomores and juniors and must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher.

Through the first half, the Sumner Academy Sabres were in a back and forth battle with Topeka Seaman on the road Friday night.

But a 21-0 third quarter for Seaman carried them to a 53-34 victory against the Sabres, who conclude the season 6-4.

Seaman's Spencer Vanderbogart kicked off the scoring quickly, scoring from eight yards out.

Sumner responded the quickest way possible – returning the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. As he has most of the season, returner Benny Parker provided Sumner a spark with a 92-yard kickoff return.

Sumner would take its first lead of the game after Eli Alexander scored on a 60-yard touchdown pass from Armand Brisbane. Brisbane was 18-32 for 338 yards and three touchdowns.

Trailing 12-7 after Sumner failed to convert on both two-point conversion attempts, Seaman's Nathan Stanley scored from 23 yards out.

Sumner would punch back one more time.

Running back Torrel Saffold scored from seven yards out, giving Sumner its last lead at 20-15 following a two-point conversion from Vernon Vaughn.

From there, Seaman scored 28 unanswered points.

Kyle Dunham was on the receiving end of a 25-yard touchdown pass from Jacob Hurla. Seaman's Stanley punched it in from three yards, providing Seaman its first two possession lead at 29-20.

An interception return from Hurla added to the lead at 36-20.

Sumner's Vaughn scored the Sabres' final touchdown, narrowing Seaman's lead to 50-34.

The high school football season in Wyandotte County is officially over.

After Piper was eliminated on Tuesday, Turner, Schlagle and Sumner Academy were all defeated.

Turner lost a tough thriller to Shawnee Heights 14-10 at Piper High School. The Sabres of Sumner Academy lost a shootout with Topeka Seaman 53-34. Schlagle, meanwhile, was banked 49-0 by Gardner-Edgerton.

Recaps soon.

 

Three Wyandotte County teams will be playing this Friday in the opening round of the Kansas 5A State playoffs, while Piper begins its 4A state journey tomorrow.

The Turner Golden Bears, finishing the regular season at 8-1, will host the 3-6 Shawnee Heights team in the first round in a 2-7 seed matchup. If they win, the Bears will take on the winner of the Mill Valley-St. Thomas Aquinas game on Friday, Nov. 13.

Meanwhile, two teams from the Kansas City, Kan., League have advanced to the 5A state playoffs.

The league-winning Sumner Academy Sabres (6-3) will take on Topeka Seaman this Friday. The Sabres are the #5 seed in the bracket, with Topeka Seaman the #4 seed.

Perhaps the greatest challenge any local team will face involve the Schlagle Stallions.

Finishing at 6-3 and second in district play, Schlagle will take on perennial power Gardner-Edgerton, who finished the regular season undefeated.

If Sumner and Schlagle both win, they'll renew their KCK rivalry next week.

Piper, 6-3, will take on the 9-0 Holton team tomorrow at 7 p.m. in 4A play.

The 4A bracket half with Piper:

The 5A bracket portion with the three KCK schools:

The Sumner Academy Sabres and Schlagle Stallions each wrapped up 6-3 records and 3-1 Kansas City, Kan., League records Thursday night.

• The Sabres defeated Wyandotte 37-6 after a quick start in the game.

The Sabres scored all 37 of their points in the first half. Armand Brisbane scored from seven yards out to give Sumner an 8-0 lead.

Benny Parker's 36-yard touchdown run and Brisbane's touchdown pass to Vernon Vaughn provided Sumner with a 22-0 first quarter lead.

Eli Alexander was on the receiving end of a 27-yard touchdown from Brisbane to give Sumner a 30-0 lead. Torrel Saffold scored Sumner's final touchdown of the game late in the second quarter from eight yards out on the ground.

Wyandotte's Alex Hamilton provided the Bulldogs their only touchdown in the fourth quarter. Hamilton scored from 75 yards out.

Wyandotte finishes 1-8.

• The Stallions defeated city rival Washington 22-7 at Washington High School Thursday.

The tandem of Schlagle quarterback Herman Ming and running back Jeff Jones provided Washington too much of a challenge.

Jones ran for 120 yards on just 13 carries, scoring a touchdown. Ming scored two on the ground, from 13 yards out and 21 yards.

Ming gave Schlagle the first score of the game, as he carried the ball from 13 yards out. Jones' 55-yard touchdown run in the second and Ming's 21-yard touchdown run in the third gave Schlagle a 22-0 lead.

Washington's Jeremy Simmons delivered a touchdown pass to Tim Goode in the third to put the Wildcats on the board.

Washington finishes 1-8 and 0-4 in KCK League play. 

Sumner Academy's offense capitalized off of three forced turnovers deep in Harmon territory to give the Sabres their second consecutive league title.

Sumner defeated Harmon 30-14 to improve to 5-3 overall and 3-0 in the Knasas City, Kan., League.

After a shaky start on offense, the Sabres defense picked it up early in the first quarter. Harmon quarterback John Zeno (pictured right) was stripped of the ball by a maul of Sumner defenders. Many on the Hawks' sideline felt Zeno had established forward progress before the ball was ruled a fumble.

From there, Sabres quarterback Armand Brisbane converted a touchdown after a designed run play allowed him to cross the end zone from 11 yards out.

Both defenses played well on a cold night, holding each offense off the scoreboard during most of the second quarter. Each defense held the other's offense on fourth and short.

It was Zeno's second turnover inside his own 25 that gave Sumner its second golden opportunity to score. Zeno was picked off around his own 15-yard-line.

After penalties sent the Sabres offense back to Harmon's 22-yard-line, Brisbane connected with Marcus Allen on a 22-yard touchdown pass, providing the Sabres a 14-0 lead.

But Harmon struck back through its special teams early in the second half.

Zeno returned a punt 55 yards for a score, picking up the ball and alluding multipe Sabres defenders. A failed conversion left the score 14-6.

It appeared the Hawks would have a great opportunity to tie the game. Harmon defenders charged in and blocked a punt. But the officials again provided bad news for the Hawks, calling the punt block back after a chop-block was called.

Without the penalty, the Hawks would have taken over on Sumner's 22-yard-line.

With the Sabres driving, Jervon Hooks picked off his first of two Brisbane passes in the game. However, three plays later, Zeno caughed up the ball and Brisbane would make the Hawks pay on an ensuing drive to give Sumner a 22-6 lead.

Sumner's running game helped put the game away. Torrel Saffold (pictured top) rushed for 177 yards on just 23 carries, with many of the yards coming late in the game to help grind the clock out.

Sophomore Benny Parker put the dagger in the heart with a 57-yard touchdown run.  Shaquille Simmons would score a late touchdown for Harmon.