2012 Inaugural Bee

Manhattan, KS, March 9, 2012 – YES for Liberty, the 1^st Annual, statewide, Youth Educational Scholarship Constitution Bee was held on Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 2:00 PM.  Sixteen finalists competed for the top scholarship award of $3500.00, which was ultimately awarded to William Kenefake, a senior at Topeka High School, Topeka, KS.

Rock Creek Jr/Sr. High School, Westmoreland/St. George, KS, can boast of two students being awarded the second and third place scholarships:  Lane Frazier, a senior, $1500.00 and Jacob Milham, a sophomore, $750.00.  As a sophomore, Jacob Milham will be eligible to compete again in subsequent competitions.

Other qualifying finalists from Kansas included:  Ryan Kelly, Seaman High, Topeka; Chandler Huddleston, Rolla High, Rolla; Anthony Courkamp, Fellowship Baptist, Liberal; Michael Parker of Westmoreland, Rock Creek Jr/Sr. High, Westmoreland/St. George; Luke Sunderland, Sabetha High, Sabetha; Riley Sawyer, Paola High, Paola; Taylor Dean, Junction City High, Junction City; Keonya Jackson, St. Xavier, Junction City; Nicholas Ercolani, Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High, Wichita; Jordan Haya of Maple Hill, Wabaunsee High, Alma; Rebekah Niblock, Stockton High, Stockton; Alana Bucholtz and Annemarie Bucholtz, both of Manhattan, Manhattan High. 

Sponsored by Board of Directors of The Flint Hills Tea Party Educational Fund, Inc. and co-hosted with the KSU College Republicans the event was held in Forum Hall on the Kansas State University Campus.  Boy Scout Troop 75 of Manhattan, KS posted the Colors.  

Special guests in attendance included Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins; Representative Tom Phillips; Kathy Martin, Kansas Board of Education. 

Invitations to participate were sent out to more than 380 schools across Kansas including public, private, military and home schools.  Accepting applications for the school year 2011-2012, from eligible Kansas 9-12 graders, began on Constitution Day, September 17, 2011 and ended on December 31, 2011.  Winners may attend any accredited two or four year public or private college or university; vocational-technical school; or trade school located anywhere in the United States.  Two separate mailings announcing the scholarship, YES for Liberty, were sent first to high school principals, then to school counselors as well as home school boards.  For more details visit www.YESforLiberty.org.

We are grateful for the funding and support for this Inaugural Event that was contributed by volunteers and enhanced by the following donors:  Benefactor Level - R-Tech Tool and Machine, Inc., Wamego, KS and Sponsor Level - Parsons Communication, Inc., Manhattan, KS.

Donors of time and treasure are always welcome and may obtain additional information about this scholarship program by contacting us at info@YesforLiberty.org.  To be sure your school’s contact information is on our mailing list; or to add your name for direct notification for the 2012-2013 school year announcement contact us at info@YesforLiberty.org.  The applications open Constitution Day, September 17, 2012.