CCC Students Named to Kansas All-State Academic Team

Coffeyville Community College sophomores Danika Burton and Dezirae Hamrick were among 47 Kansas community college students honored as members of the 2015 Kansas All-State Academic Team.  Members of the team represent approximately 28 Kansas community colleges and were selected in judging based upon academic achievement, campus and community involvement, and an essay they submitted.

Danika Burton is a biology major and has achieved a 4.0 G.P.A.  At CCC, she is the Phi Theta Kappa Eta Gamma Chapter Vice President of Scholarship and previous Member of the Month.  Danika is a member of the CCC women’s volleyball team and was named to the Jayhawk 2014 honorable mention All-Conference Team.   She also volunteers for Operation Christmas Child, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Ronald McDonald House, and the Little Lighthouse.  Danika was also a competitive figure skater for ten years.  Her future plan is to attend Emporia State University where she will be a member of the ESU volleyball team.

Dezirae Hamrick is a psychology major at Coffeyville Community College and has achieved a 3.9 G.P.A.  Dezirae is the Phi Theta Kappa Eta Gamma Chapter President and Student Government Association student representative.  She is also a visual arts department scholar student representative, Kakehashi Bridge for Tomorrow Project participant, and a Leader of Promise awardee from international headquarters.  Dezirae volunteers for Operation Christmas Child, Salvation Army, Relay for Life, the Red Cross, the Little Lighthouse, and Brown Mansion.  Her future plan is to transfer to Pittsburg State University.  Dezirae is the daughter of Mrs. Donna English of Hoyt, Kansas and Dan Hamrick of Dewey, Oklahoma.

The Coffeyville students were honored in Topeka on February 12, where team members had the opportunity to tour the capitol, visit their legislators, and were introduced on the floor of the House Chamber.  Following the Capitol visit, the Academic Team Scholars were honored at a Phi Theta Kappa Luncheon in the Regency Ballroom of the downtown Ramada Inn.  The keynote speaker for the luncheon was Dr. Rod Risley from Jackson, Mississippi, and Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society’s Executive Director.

The presentation of Phi Theta Kappa Kansas All-State Academic Team awards was conducted by Kansas Region Coordinator Tammy Fuentez.  Each community college honoree received a medallion, certificate, and monetary recognition.  The event sponsor is the Kansas Association of Community College Trustees.  The Kansas All-State Academic Team members are eligible to participate in the All-USA Academic Team Competition which is sponsored by Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and The Coca-Cola Foundation in partnership with USA Today, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and the American Association of Community Colleges.

The top scoring student in each state is named a New Century Scholar, and receives a $2,000 award.  The next fifty highest scoring students are named Gold Scholars and receive $1,500, while the following fifty are Silver Scholars and receive $1,250.  The final fifty students are Bronze Scholars and receive $1,000.  The common scholarship used for the competition allowed students to compete for additional scholarships such as Phi Theta Kappa’s Guistwhite Scholarship, named in honor of Dr. Jack Guistwhite and his wife, Margaret Guistwhite who provided the first transfer scholarship designated exclusively for Phi Theta Kappa members.