In
February of this year, Topeka High graduate Dean Smith (THS 1949) passed away.
At the suggestion and lead gift of former Senator Nancy Kassebaum (THS 1950) a
scholarship honoring Mr. Smith was established.
Whitney
Holloman and Jordaan Ramirez-Jennings are the first recipients of the Topeka
High Dean Smith Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to a boy and girl
graduating from Topeka High who earned above average grades, participated in
varsity sports at Topeka High and will be attending a Kansas
college.
Whitney,
will graduate number two in her class. She was active in track and field,
basketball, tennis, band, National Honor Society and Math Honors Club. She
signed a letter of intent to play collegiate tennis at Washburn
University.
Jordaan
played basketball and was on the Link Crew. He’s in the top 10% of his class,
National Honor Society, Math Honors Society and was a Wendy’s Heisman Winner. He
went to the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy Camp. He signed a letter of intent
to play basketball at Ottawa University.
Dean
Smith graduated from Topeka High in 1949. He coached North Carolina basketball
for 36 years, won 879 basketball games, won the Atlantic Coast Conference
championship 15 times, was ACC Coach of the Year nine times, National Coach of
the Year three times, coached the 1976 gold medal Olympic team and last November
was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama.
Contributions
to the Topeka High Dean Smith Scholarship can be sent to the Topeka Community
Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, at 5431 SW 29th St, Topeka, KS
66614
