USA Funds Supports Kansas Academic Decathlon, Scholarships for Participants

More than 200 of Kansas’s brightest high-school students gathered to compete in the 2007 Kansas Academic Decathlon Jan. 26-27 on the Kansas State University campus in Manhattan, Kan.

Established in 1991, the Kansas Academic Decathlon provides students with an early introduction to higher education by helping them learn about academic majors, careers and other opportunities that come with pursuing a college degree. Students compete in topics such as economics, science, language and the fine arts.

USA Funds^® has served as a sponsor of the Kansas Academic Decathlon for the past three years. This year, USA Funds provided additional financial support to fund scholarships for students competing in the decathlon.

“It is our hope that the addition of these scholarships will encourage even more students to participate in the academic decathlon,” says Valerie Walthall, USA Funds customer-relations manager for Kansas and a Kansas Academic Decathlon board member. “These are gifted students with great potential, and these scholarships will help ensure that they have the financial means to pursue a postsecondary education.”

Holly Kier from Shawnee Mission North High School in Overland Park, Kan., received a $500 scholarship as the “Outstanding KAD Senior.” Kier’s coach nominated her for the award based on Kier’s exemplary efforts and leadership in helping her team prepare for the state competition.

Three other students received scholarships for receiving the highest scores in their respective divisions:

• Heidi Vogle of Shawnee Mission South in Overland Park received a $1,000 scholarship for earning the top score in the seniors honor division.
• Boling Jiang of Shawnee Mission South and Robert Huff of Washburn Rural in Topeka each received a $500 scholarship, for achieving the highest score in the senior scholastic division and senior varsity division, respectively.

The Shawnee Mission South team took first place in the Kansas Academic Decathlon for the seventh straight year. The team will represent Kansas at the National Academic Decathlon in Hawaii in April.

“USA Funds’ mission is to increase preparedness for, access to, and success in postsecondary education,” says Walthall. “Our support of the Kansas Academic Decathlon and the additional scholarship support are just two ways we are furthering that mission in the state of Kansas.”