Butler Community College Early College Academy Recognizes Graduation Candidates
The ECA celebrates over one hundred high school students graduating with college credits.
Written by: Caleb Sanderson
To view the photo album, visit https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBoTR3
After a decade of awarding high school students with college credits, Butler Community College’s Early College Academy (ECA) honored more than one hundred students at their 2024 ceremony with academic cords to wear to the college’s May 10th graduation.
On May 4, the ECA recognized current high school students who successfully completed their courses of study in areas like Health Science, Engineering, Welding and more. Eight students earned their Welding Certificate, 11 received an academy completion certificate and the rest earned their associate degree alongside their high school diplomas.
“First, I’d like to congratulate the Early College Academy class of 2024,” Dean of Online, High School & Community Learning / Interim Co-Vice President of Academics Heather Rinkenbaugh expressed. “Your accomplishments are outstanding, and your futures are bright. We are so proud of you and thankful that you chose Butler to start your college journey.”
ECA Cyber Security candidate Carter Duff of Andover Central High School provided a reflection of his time in the Academy, noting the hard work and balance it took to maintain good academic standing and a personal life. “Sure, I lost some friends and bombed some tests. But that’s life. You’ll get knocked down and have to learn to pick yourself back up again. There will be other tests. And there will be new friends too,” Duff said, noting both the sacrifices and character growth made.
These students spend half a day at their respective high schools and the rest of the day on a Butler campus, including El Dorado, Andover and Rose Hill. In the past decade the ECA has graduated over seven hundred students who have amassed more than two million dollars in savings and earned just over $27 million, collectively, in scholarships.
Andover High School Programs Director Michael Donovan presented Michah Williams of Derby High School with the Plus Award, given to students who demonstrate four key qualities. Those qualities include a positive attitude, leadership skills, a sense of unity and spirit. Donovan noted Michah’s friendly and courteous attitude, his involvement with extracurricular activities and team leader roles, his high value for team members and his commitment to Butler core values and his studies. Michah was also credited for having a professional attitude.
Rinkenbaugh presented the Instructor of the Year Award to Lead Physics Instructor Danny Mattern. Mattern received this award because of the passion he brings to his students daily, his ability to make class fun and intellectual and, as one credited him for, his gift for encouraging student confidence in their studies.
“You also have much to learn, but my colleagues and I have done our best to give you the knowledge and skills you will need to help you learn those things,” English Instructor John Buaas said when weaving Star Wars analogies into his speech. “Others now, other Yodas, will take up that work of instructing you.” Buaas extended his well wishes for the graduate candidates and his hope they have become of service to something bigger than themselves.
Butler’s ECA offers many pathway and certificate options to high school students, giving them a head start in their academic and career journeys.
The 2024 Early College Academy graduate candidates are grouped below by hometown (high school and pathway denoted):
* Designates Order of the Gold, 4.0 Cumulative GPA
+ Designates Order of the Purple, 3.75 or higher Cumulative GPA
Andover
+Ryan Armstrong – Andover Central High School – Health Science
*Isabella Ayesh – Augusta high School – Health Science
Carson Collinsworth – Andover Central High School – Business
Katelynn Engle – Andover eCademy – Education
Logan Forge – Andover Central High School – Health Science
KC Grimes – Homeschool – Cyber Security
*Rylan Hermann – Andover Central High School – Business
Gavin Holder – Augusta High School – Health Science
Zaydie Ladner – Andover Central High School – Health Science
Kamden Longacre – Andover High School – Health Science
Ella Mattern – Circle High School – Health Science
Braden McCaig – Andover Central High School – Cyber Security
+Griffin McDonough – Andover Central High School – Liberal Arts
+Madison Page – Andover Central High School – Health Science
*Jocelynn Palacio – Andover High School – Engineering
Stevie Webster – Andover eCademy – Health Science
Karissa Worthington – Andover Central High School – Engineering
*Adriana Zollin – Andover Central High School – Health Science
Augusta
Katie Anderson – Augusta High School – Health Science
Reagan Base – Augusta High School – Cyber Security
Patrick Dieter – Augusta High School – Health Science
Cavin Dresher – Augusta High School – Engineering
Ava Hebb – Augusta High School – Liberal Arts
Ethan Jones – Augusta High School – Cyber Security
Abby King – Circle High School – Education
*Trinity McMichael – Augusta High School – Welding
Blake Rettig – Augusta High School – Engineering Studies
Benton
Kira Sawyer – Circle High School – Health Science
Tolli Unger – Circle High School – Liberal Arts
Derby
Bridget Adams – Derby High School – Liberal Arts
Mason Anderson – Derby High School – Health Science
Cael Asmann – Derby High School – Health Science
Emma Baldwin – Derby High School – Liberal Arts
John Brasfield – Derby High School – Liberal Arts
+Stephanie Brock – Home School – Engineering
Aneesa Carrillo – Derby High School – Liberal Arts
+Stormy Dietz – Derby High School – Game and Sim
Hailey Flanders – Derby High School – Health Science
Eli Gibbs – Derby High School – Health Science
Mason Hopper – Derby High School – Liberal Arts
*Avery Kelley – Derby High School – Health Science
Jace Knudson – Derby High School – Health Science
Madisyn Marnach – Derby High School – Health Science
Kaitlyn Maycock – Rose Hill High School – Health Science
*Gavin Morton – Derby High School – Health Science
Carson Muller – Derby High School – Health Science
Reagan Olmstead – Derby High School – Liberal Arts
Britton Pascual – Derby High School – Liberal Arts
Amanda Phouthavong – Derby High School – Cyber Security
Rigoverto Salazar – Derby High School – Liberal Arts
Caden Schott – Derby High School – Engineering
Bianka Schultz – Mulvane High School – Business
Anastasia Self – Derby High School – Liberal Arts
*Rylee Silva – Derby High School – Health Science
Coen Sowden – Derby High School – Business
Halle Tatum – Mulvane High School – Liberal Arts
Nolan Tauer – Derby High School – Health Science
+Eden Thompson – Derby High School – Engineering
Samantha Walsh – Derby High School – Health Science
+Michah Williams – Rose Hill High School – Engineering
Douglass
Peyton Branine – Douglass High School – Welding
Shane Damron – Douglass High School – Cyber Security
Monica McCosh – Douglass High School – Agriculture
Jaxon Spradling – Douglass High School – Agriculture
El Dorado
Beau Barnes – Bluestem High School - Welding
Cheyenne Berzeny – El Dorado High School – Health Science
+Annie Chen – Circle High School – Health Science
Weston Clements – Circle High School – Welding
Colby Dole – El Dorado High School – Welding
Preston Flurry – El Dorado High School – Welding
+Cheyenne Jones – El Dorado High School – Health Science
Eric Krug – El Dorado High School – Liberal Arts
Ben McAdoo – Circle High School – Welding
Alyssa Mitchell – Circle High School – Health Science
Tayden Stanfield – El Dorado High School – Welding
Goddard
Colton Cassell – Eisenhower High School – Liberal Arts
Haysville
Bailey Downer – Douglass High School – Liberal Arts
Kechi
Madeline Turvey – Northeast Magnet High School – Health Science
Leon
Aaron Levi Jurgens – Bluestem High School – Construction
Mulvane
Ashlyn Alumbaugh – Mulvane High School – Health Science
Karis Bais – Mulvane High School – Liberal Arts
+Skye Berry – Andover eCademy –Liberal Arts
Macey Billingslea – Mulvane High School – Health Science
Justice Blake – Mulvane High School – Health Science
Kameron Blevins – Mulvane High School – Engineering
Haydyn Boor – Mulvane High School – Health Science
Colton Fleming – Mulvane High School – Engineering
Jax Gerber – Mulvane High School – Health Science
Alexis Grieve – Mulvane High School – Business
Levi Kasparek – Mulvane High School – Health Science
Anna Stahl – Mulvane High School – Liberal Arts
Rose Hill
Kaden Achatz – Rose Hill High School – Engineering
+Dalton Bryer – Rose Hill High School – Liberal Arts
Kayley Herbert – Rose Hill High School – Health Science
+Loryn Johnson – Rose Hill High School – Cyber Security
Kylie Uhlik – Rose Hill High School – Education
Wichita
Kelsey Bigelow – Andover High School – Liberal Arts
Adrian Campos – Derby High School – Engineering
Justin Cluff – Andover Central High School – Cyber Security
Jakia Cook – Derby High School – Liberal Arts
Carter Duff – Andover Central High School – Cyber Security
Blake Gunnarson – Rose Hill High School – Education
Madison Laubach – Rose Hill High School – Health Science
*Danae Loomis – Eisenhower High School – Culinary Arts
Caroline Lyddane – Andover Central High School – Game and Sim
*Kylie Monay – Andover High School – Liberal Arts
Aubrey Nguyen – Derby High School – Education
+Paige Sawyer – Faith Academy – Liberal Arts
Chase Slay – Valley Center – Liberal Arts
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