Vanessa Arceo- Vanessa is a senior at South High School. She plans to attend Kansas Wesleyan University or Fort Hays State University and major in Music Education. Vanessa is bilingual in English and Spanish. She plays the violin for the Kansas Wesleyan University orchestra and the Salina Youth Symphony. Her hope is to bring people together through music.
Isaac French- Isaac is a graduate of Central High School and attends Kansas State University, where he is Vice President of West Hall. He is majoring in Secondary Education and plans to teach Social Studies. Isaac wishes to create a safe place for his students to learn and develop through an understanding of the past.
Grace Hilbert-Grace is a graduate of South High School and Hutchinson Community College. She attends Wichita State University while working as an instructional assistant at Heusner Elementary School. Grace is studying Elementary Education. She enjoys working with children with disabilities and volunteers with her mother at “Night to Shine”, an organization that provides a prom for people with disabilities. Grace hopes to show her students that they are special.
Sara Orr- Sara is a graduate of South High School and attends Fort Hays State University, majoring in Secondary Education. Since 2016 Sara has worked at South High School as a para educator and instructional assistant. Sara says that her co-workers and mentors have been a tremendous help to her. She enjoys advocating for her students’ voices to be heard.
Aubrey Powell-Aubrey is a senior at South High School. She plans to attend Butler Community College and study secondary education with a focus in mathematics. Aubrey says that her passion for math education began in middle school while doing pre-algebra. Finding slope and using Pythagorean Theorem was a highlight of her days as a middle school student.
Alaina Yianakopulos-Alaina is a graduate of Southeast of Saline High School and attends Emporia State University. She is majoring in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Special Education. Alaina shared that her experience working with a child with Down Syndrome was an incredible experience and helped shape her desire to study special education. Alaina says she believes she can help the world by bettering the lives of those kids who don’t get the same opportunities as the rest of us.
Lauren Allen is a graduate for Southest of Saline High School and attends Oklahoma Baptist University. She is majoring in Elementary Education and will graduate in 2024.
Diana Geist is a graduate fo Salina South High School. She attends Emporia State University and majors in elementary Education with an emphasis in science. She will graduate in 2025.
Megan Householter graduated from Salina South High School. She attends Fort Hays State University and majors in Secondary Education with an emphasis in History. She will graduate in 2026.
Hannah Kipp is a graduate of Salina South High School. She attends Kansas State University and is majoring in Seconday Education with an emphasis in English & Journalism. She will graduate in 2024.
Paige Musselwhite is a graduate of Salina South High School and Kansas State University. She is completing a Masters in Education and will graduate in 2023. She currently teaches Kindergarten at Coronado Elementary.
Zac Salas graduated from Salina South High School. He attends Bethany College and majors in Music Education. He will graduate in 2026.
Melissa Gates is a Business teacher at Salina South High School. She completee her teacher education at Fort Hays State University.
Reagan Stein is a graduate of Salina Central High School. She attends the University of Kansas, majoring in Secondary Education.
![]() ![]() Lance Rassette is a graduate of Salina South High School and Kansas State University. He teaches Science at South High. |
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Tabetha Deines graduated from Salina Central and Kansas Wesleyan University. She teaches 5th grade at Sunset. | |
2017 Recipients_______________________________________ | ||
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Makenzi Carlgren graduated first in her class from Central High School. She graduated from Kansas State University where she majored in Elementary Education. She teaches Kindergarten at Meadowlark Ridge Elementary. | |
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Riley Rundell graduated from Salina South High School and Kansas State University. She teaches at Coronado Elementary. | |
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Morgan Soldan graduated from South High School and Ft. Hays State University. She teaches at Sunset Elementary. | |
2016 Recipients_______________________________________ |
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Dallas Froome is a Sacred Heart and Kansas State University graduate who is teaching 4th grade at Sunset Elementary. | |
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Kelsey Plummer graduated from Rock Creek Jr/Sr High School and Kansas Wesleyan University. She teaches kindergarten at Cottonwood Elementary. | |
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Trey Cullins graduated from Central High and attended Kansas State University where he majored in Secondary English Education. Trey teaches at Central High School. | |
2015 Recipients_______________________________________ |
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Ayla Beaugh is a graduate of Ell-Saline High School and Wichita State University. She is teaching 4th grade at Meadowlark Ridge Elementary. | |
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Michelle Franco graduated from South High School and Kansas State University. | |
2014 Recipients_______________________________________ |
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Lindsay Radiel graduated from South High and Ft. Hays State University, where she majored in Elementary Education. Lindsay teaches Stewart Elementary. |
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Amanda Merrick is a graduate of South High and Kansas State University, where she majored in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Special Education. Amanda teaches Special Education at Stewart Elemenary. |
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2013 Recipients_______________________________________ |
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Taylor Harner graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in Elementary Education with an English focus. She was an English teacher at South Middle School and was recognized as Renaissance Teacher-of-the-Month. |
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Kaitlin Paul graduated from Ft. Hays State with a degree in Secondary Math Education. Kaitlin is a math teacher at Dodge City High School. |
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2012 Recipients_______________________________________ |
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Samantha McCary graduated from South High School in 2010 where she was active in Lab Chicks and worked at Lakewood Discovery Center. Sam taught mathematics at Salina South Middle School and is currently a math teacher in Lawrence, Kansas. |
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Lauren Meis, a 2011 South High graduate, graduated from Kansas State University where she was the featured twirler for the Kansas State Marching Band. Lauren majored in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Mathematics. She teaches fourth grade at Schilling Elementary. |
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Jessica Steele, a 2012 graduate of South High School where she excelled academically. Jessica graduated from Kansas State University where she majored in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Special Education and a minor in English as a Second Language. Jessica teaches all-day Kindergarten at Cottonwood Elementary. |
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2011 Recipients_______________________________________ |
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Cindy Carter graduated summa cum laude from Kansas Wesleyan University, received her teacher certification from Emporia State University. |
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Corey Ritter graduated first in her class of 240 from Salina South High School and graduated from Kansas Wesleyan University, majoring in Elementary Education. Corey taught English at Salina South Middle School, kindergarten at Cottonwood Elementary, and is currently a literacy coach at Meadowlark Elementary. |
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Laney Brightbill, Salina High School South graduate, graduated from Kansas State University in May 2011 with a degree in Early Childhood Special Education. | |
2009 Recipient________________________________________ |
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Joel Pruett was named the eighth recipient of the LIFT award. Joel is a 2007 Central High School graduate. Joel is currently working on an advanced degree. |
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2008 Recipients_______________________________________ |
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Molly Campbell, Salina Central High graduate, graduated from Emporia State University where she majored in Elementary Education. Molly taught third grade at Heusner Elementary, and is currently teaching 2nd grade at Spring Hill. |
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Nora Rindt, South High graduate, graduated from Pittsburg State University with a degree in Elementary Education. She is currently teaching at Schilling Elementary. |
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Caitlin Cox, Salina Central High School graduate, graduated from Kansas Wesleyan University in May 2011 with a degree in Elementary Education/Special Education. After teaching at Stewart Elementary, Caitlin moved to Andover where she teaches Special Education. | |
2007 Recipients_______________________________________ |
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Andrew Book, Salina Central High graduate, graduated from Wichita State University with a degree in Music Education. Andrew taught orchestra at Salina Central High and four elementary schools. He is currently the Orchestra Director at Blue Valley West High School. |
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Darcy Bartz Leech, Salina Central High graduate, graduated from Bethany College with a degree in English Education and Philosophy. Darcy taught AP English at Central High and was the gifted facilitator at Central. She and her family moved to Great Bend where she is an instructional technology coach at USD 428. | |
2006 Recipient________________________________________ |
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The Salina Education Foundation’s first LIFT recipient was Kaysie Chrisman, a 2004 graduate of Salina South High School. She graduated from Kansas Wesleyan University and is currently teaching 8th grade math at Salina South Middle School. Kaysie and husband Scott (Principal at Lakewood Middle School) have two beautiful daughters and a son. |