More than 500 outstanding Kansas seniors will be recognized Sunday, May 7, at the 40th annual Governor’s Scholars Award Program in Topeka. 

The 2023 Governor’s Scholars event will take place at Washburn University beginning at 1 p.m. Registration begins at noon. 

The Governor’s Scholars Program recognizes outstanding graduating seniors who finished in the top 1% of their high school graduating class. 

Sunday’s program will include prelude music performed by student musicians from the McPherson High School Jazz Band, McPherson Unified School District 418, under the direction of Kyle Unruh. McPherson High School was honored as the 2022 Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) Performing Arts School of Excellence Award winner.  

The ceremony will begin with the presentation of colors by the Topeka West High School Color Guard, Topeka USD 501. Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson and Brian Skinner, 2023 Kansas Teacher of the Year, will give remarks before Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly takes the stage to recognize the 529 scholars. 

The highest number of honorees during the course of the Governor’s Scholars program was 827 in 1999. 

The event is sponsored and financed through the Confidence in Kansas Public Education Task Force. Members include the Kansas State Department of Education; Kansas National Education Association; Kansas Association of School Boards; United School Administrators of Kansas; Kansas State Board of Education; KSHSAA; American Association of University Women; Kansas Congress of Parents and Teachers; and the Kansas League of Women Voters. 

Watch for photographs and a link to a listing of the 2023 Kansas Governor’s Scholars in an upcoming issue of KSDEweekly.