Summer Program Offers Talented Missouri High School Students New Opportunities at MU
June 7th, 2011
COLUMBIA, Mo. – This summer at the Missouri Scholars Academy (MSA), hosted by the University of Missouri, approximately 330 high school students across Missouri will have the opportunity of a lifetime, and perhaps more importantly, a chance to be themselves.
“MSA provides a place for bright and talented students to realize there are others out there like themselves,” said Ted Tarkow, director of the program and associate dean of the University of Missouri College of Arts and Science. “Sometimes high school students feel like it’s a liability to be bright and talented. The MSA validates that it’s OK to be bright and talented.”
MSA began in 1985, and by the end of this summer more than 9,000 Missouri students will have participated in the annual program, which provides students unique opportunities to expand their educational and social skills. This year, from June 12 through July 2, students will spend the bulk of each day in an intensive classroom setting, studying one of four individually selected subjects, including mathematics, science, social studies and humanities. Each Missouri high school is allowed to nominate one junior-to-be for the academy; larger schools may nominate more. Nearly every county in the state is represented.
“I look back on my summer spent with you with the fondest of memories,” said Erica Endicott, who attended MSA in 1997. “I think of it as one of the happiest times of my life.”
Outside the classroom, students are introduced to a series of activities, workshops and discussions by guest speakers. Students will learn from experts in the fields of Islam and Scottish culture, learn the science behind NASCAR and discuss the issues such as the national debt. Participants also will get the chance to visit with Missouri’s Poet Laureate as well as match wits against the Missouri state Scrabble champion.
“We want these students to go for it, to plunge right in to these great learning opportunities, to live and learn like they have never had a chance to before,” Tarkow said. “We want to help them network as well as drive home the idea that being smart is a good thing.”
MSA participants are among the top 0.5 percent of Missouri students academically. Tarko says individuals who attend the academy leave with the understanding that they have a responsibility to share their talents with others for the betterment of their local Missouri communities. Many MSA alumni participate in programs such as Teach for America, Peace Corps or other nonprofit organizations. MSA alumni also continue to succeed academically. Of those who are old enough, 98 percent of academy alumni have graduated from high school, 90 percent have graduated from college and nearly 2,500 alumni have earned graduate or professional degrees.
Funding for the MSA 2011 is provided by the University of Missouri and generous contributions from private groups and corporations including Ameren Missouri. This year, there is also a student activity fee assessed on all participants.
MSA 2011 Roster
First Name | Last Name | Hometown | High School |
Kevin | Ackermann | St. Paul | Ft. Zumwalt North High |
Shayda | Afrassiab | Moberly | Moberly Sr. High |
Breanna | Akins | Ironton | Arcadia Valley High |
Clara | Albers | Berger | New Haven High |
Sarah | Allen | St. Louis | Ladue Horton Watkins High |
Nickolas | Allison | El Dorado Springs | El Dorado Springs High |
Helen | Alpern | Liberty | Liberty High |
Christian | Alten | St. Louis | Parkway North High |
Adam | Arcipowski | St. Louis | Metro High |
Emma | Arett | St. Louis | Metro High |
Jacob | Ash | California | California High |
Jordan | Backes | Linn | Helias High School |
Kylie | Bain | Lees Summit | Raymore-Peculiar Sr. High |
Josiah | Baker | Lees Summit | Blue Springs South High |
Claire | Banderas | Lees Summit | Archbishop O’Hara High |
Jantzen | Bates | Springfield | Central High |
Samantha | Behen | Gladstone | Oak Park High |
Ananya | Benegal | Fenton | Lindbergh Sr. High |
Nicholas | Benham | Branson | Branson High |
Erin | Bennett | Raymore | Raymore-Peculiar Sr. High |
John | Bentley | Springfield | Springfield Catholic High School |
Zachary | Bequette | Hallsville | Hallsville High |
Nick | Bira | Troy | St. Dominic High School |
Kislay | Bishnupuri | Fenton | Metro High |
Celeste | Blum | Bonne Terre | North Co. Sr. High |
Andrew | Boal | Ballwin | Lafayette Sr. High |
Austin | Boice | Lamar | Lamar High |
Jennifer | Boston | Berkeley | McCluer High |
Robert | Branson | Butler | Butler High |
Sean | Brennan | Columbia | Columbia-Hickman High |
Auric | Brockfeld | Cole Camp | Cole Camp R-I High |
Grace | Brown | Liberty | Liberty North High |
Samuel | Bumgardner | Independence | Truman High |
Kayla | Burns | Lee’s Summit | Lee’s Summit Sr. High |
Louis | Burton | Hannibal | Hannibal Sr. High |
Craig | Buschkoetter | Lake St. Louis | Chaminade College Prep School |
Slava | Butkovich | Blue Springs | Blue Springs High |
Elizabeth | Carroll | Chesterfield | Parkway West High |
Hannah | Carter | Farmington | Farmington Sr. High |
Sydni | Carter | Warrensburg | Warrensburg High |
Jin | Chang | Springfield | Parkview High |
Serena | Chang | Springfield | Central High |
Leela | Chapman | Manchester | Parkway South High |
Arjuna | Chatrathi | Lees Summit | Rockhurst High School |
Daniel | Chen | Kansas City | Park Hill High |
Isabella | Cianciolo | Kansas City | Center Sr. High |
Anthony | Clapp | Kansas City | Lincoln College Prep. |
Darcy | Cochran | Bolivar | Bolivar High |
Jacob | Cohen | Chesterfield | Marquette Sr. High |
Christopher | Colletti | Grover | Eureka Sr. High |
Brianna | Collins | Jackson | Jackson Senior High |
Chad | Conaty | St. Charles | Francis Howell North High |
Lincoln | Connell | Norwood | Norwood High |
Jacob | Connelly | Kansas City | Winnetonka High |
Nathaniel | Conway | Kansas City | Park Hill High |
Heather | Cook | Perryville | Perryville Sr. High |
Alicia | Coronado | Manchester | Parkway South High |
Jared | Counts | St. Peters | Ft. Zumwalt South High |
Courtney | Cramer | Hamilton | Penney High |
Zoey | Craun | Rolla | Rolla Sr. High |
Ethan | Currier | Marshfield | Marshfield High |
Darby | Dachroeden | Florrissant | McCluer North High |
David | Daniel | Independence | William Chrisman High |
Trevor | Darby | Hartsburg | Southern Boone High |
Marissa | Dasta | Saint Joseph | Benton High |
Jill | Davis | Brookline | Republic High |
Justin | Davis-Morgan | St. Louis | Saint Louis Priory School |
Avery | Day | Marshfield | Marshfield High |
Lucas | Day | Rolla | Rolla Sr. High |
Grace | Dearing | St. Louis | Metro High |
Grace | Deitzler | University City | University City Sr. High |
John | del Rosario, Jr. | St. Louis | Saint Louis Priory School |
Alexis | Diaz | Independence | Truman High |
Kyle | Dillon | Joplin | Joplin High |
Blake | Dixon | Easton | St. Joseph Central High |
Danielle | Doerr | Joplin | Joplin High |
Michael | Doman | Kirksville | Kirksville Sr. High |
Trevor | Donnelly | St. Clair | St. Clair High |
Courtney | Dorris | O’Fallon | Ft. Zumwalt West High |
Noah | Dromgoole | University City | Crossroads School |
Anna | Duban | Florrissant | Trinity Catholic High School |
James | Edgington | Kennett | Kennett High |
Ellen | Eisenhour | Springfield | Central High |
Ahmed | Elbermawy | Canton | Canton High |
Rachelle | Engen | Bates City | Odessa High |
Dani | Eschweiler | St. Charles | St. Charles West High |
Hank | Essman | Springfield | Central High |
Nancy | Fairbank | Springfield | Central High |
Jacob | Fallman | Bates City | Oak Grove High |
Ethan | Farber | University City | University City Sr. High |
Stephanie | Fei | St. Louis | Lindbergh Sr. High |
Anjali | Fernandes | Creve Coeur | Pattonville Sr. High |
Joseph | Fessenden | Troy | Troy Buchanan High |
Andrew | Floyd | Columbia | Rock Bridge Sr. High |
Joshua | Freeman | Ava | Ava High |
Jacob | Freyermuth | Columbia | Rock Bridge Sr. High |
Nicholas | Gaeke | St. Louis | Lutheran High School North |
Justin | Genova | Chesterfield | De Smet Jesuit High School |
Tanner | Gentges | Westphalia | Fatima High |
Timothy | Gerlach | Hillsboro | Hillsboro High |
Hannah | Gerlt | Foristell | Emil E. Holt Sr. High |
Kelly | Gillock | Puxico | Puxico High School |
Katlyn | Gladson | Independence | Truman High |
Annalise | Goeke | St. Louis | Hancock High |
Travis | Golick | St. Louis | St. Louis University High School |
Elizabeth | Goodfellow | Columbia | Rock Bridge Sr. High |
Katelyn | Goodwin | Camdenton | Camdenton High |
Morgan | Grandon | Troy | Troy Buchanan High |
Michele | Griffin | Mexico | Mexico High |
Laura | Grisham | West Plains | West Plains Sr. High |
Michael | Gulve | St. Louis | Webster Groves High |
Sean | Gundersen | St. Charles | Francis Howell Central High |
Stephen | Hagen | St. Louis | Metro High |
Nicholas | Hakmiller | Chesterfield | Lafayette Sr. High |
Andrew | Halsell | Sedalia | Smith-Cotton High School |
Gregory | Hamilton | Springfield | Willard High |
Kasey | Hancock | Pacific | Eureka Sr. High |
Girija | Hariprasad | Ballwin | Mary Institute/Country Day School |
Jacob | Harmon | Camdenton | Camdenton High |
Edgar | Harper | St. Louis | Metro High |
Riley | Hawkins | Imperial | Windsor High |
Claire | Hawley | Lees Summit | Lee’s Summit North High |
Hattie | Hayes | Grain Valley | Grain Valley High |
Carolyn | Heger | St. Louis | St. Joseph’s Academy |
Madeline | Hemphill | Kansas City | Park Hill High |
Claire | Herbst | Cape Girardeau | Cape Central High |
Brooke | Herrera | Lees Summit | Blue Springs South High |
David | Hershberger | Chillicothe | Chillicothe High |
Jessica | Ho | St. Louis | Metro High |
Nancy | Holbrook | Carl Junction | Carl Junction High |
Dylan | Howard | Raytown | Raytown South Sr. High |
Zachary | Howe | O’Fallon | Ft. Zumwalt West High |
Rachel | Howieson | Sedalia | Smith-Cotton High School |
Taylor | Hughes | Joplin | Joplin High |
Clara | Hughes | St. Peters | Duchesne High School |
Mary | Humphrey | Kansas City | Notre Dame de Sion High School |
Samuel | Hunt | St. Louis | Metro High |
Hang | Huynh | St. Louis | Metro High |
Brittany | James | Lees Summit | Lee’s Summit West High |
Alyssa | Johnson | Washington | Washington High |
Alexandra | Jones | Kirkwood | Kirkwood Sr. High |
Cedric | Jones | Spanish Lake | Hazelwood East High |
Conor | Joplin | Chesterfield | De Smet Jesuit High School |
Hailey | Jordan | Raytown | Archbishop O’Hara High |
Adam | Kaminsky | Bridgeton | Pattonville Sr. High |
Anthony | Kawecki | Smithville | Smithville High |
Georgia | Kaye | St. Louis | Rosati-Kain High |
James | Keckley | Carl Junction | Carl Junction High |
Miranda | Ketcherside | De Soto | Desoto Sr. High |
Sarah | Khan | Jefferson City | Columbia Independent School |
Dakota | Kiper | Independence | William Chrisman High |
Jordan | Kirk | Kansas City | Grandview Sr. High |
Sara | Knowles | Maryville | Maryville High |
Ajinkya | Kokate | Chesterfield | Metro High |
Arianne | Kreger | Kearney | Kearney High |
Zachary | LaMarre | Springfield | Central High |
James | Langston | Springfield | Parkview High |
Kayna | Lantz | Springfield | Glendale High |
Tristan | Laughlin | Independence | William Chrisman High |
Gabriel | Lawton | St. Louis | Metro High |
Hughes | Lee | Jefferson City | Jefferson City High |
Tiffany | Lee | St. Louis | Lindbergh Sr. High |
Kristin | Lenz | St. Louis | Mehlville High School |
Elizabeth | Linberger | Shelbyville | North Shelby High |
Ryan | Link | Kansas City | Staley High |
Sydney | Loethen | Lees Summit | Lee’s Summit West High |
Haley | Loftis | Kansas City | Staley High |
Todd | Lombardi | St. Louis | St. Mary’s High School |
Anson | Long-Seabra | Blue Springs | Blue Springs High |
Ocean | Lu | Springfield | Central High |
Seth | Ludwig | Chesterfield | Lafayette Sr. High |
Elizabeth | Lueder | St. Louis | Academy of the Visitation |
Yunshu | Luo | Chesterfield | Marquette Sr. High |
Jaron | Ma | Ballwin | Parkway West High |
Brandon | Maddick | Lathrop | Lathrop High |
Logan | Malach | O’Fallon | Ft. Zumwalt West High |
Corey | Marquardt | Springfield | Kickapoo High |
Brendan | Marsh | Grover | Eureka Sr. High |
Yuri | Martinez-Moylan | Saint Joseph | St. Joseph Central High |
Zackery | Maser | Braymer | Braymer High |
Karan | Mathur | Chesterfield | Marquette Sr. High |
Corey | Matzat | Nixa | Branson High |
Tanner | May | Lake St. Louis | Emil E. Holt Sr. High |
Hannah | McCausland | Kansas City | St. Teresa’s Academy |
Alexandra | McCrosky | West Plains | West Plains Sr. High |
JoHannah | McDonald | Moscow Mills | Troy Buchanan High |
Brenden | McKeon | De Soto | Desoto Sr. High |
John | McNamara | Farmington | Farmington Sr. High |
Kevin | McPartland | Florrissant | Hazelwood Central High |
Austin | McWilliams | Poplar Bluff | Poplar Bluff High |
Timothy | Middlemas | Kirksville | Kirksville Sr. High |
Michael | Miles | Hannibal | Hannibal Sr. High |
Dorian | Miller | Marshfield | Strafford High |
Stuart | Miller | Kansas City | Park Hill South High |
Corina | Minden-Birkenmaier | St. Louis | John Burroughs School |
Jorie | Mink | Webb City | Webb City High |
Teddi | Moorman | Lake Ozark | Osage High |
Malcolm | Moses | Kansas City | Rockhurst High School |
Austin | Moudy | Marceline | Marceline High |
Taylor | Moyer | O’Fallon | Ft. Zumwalt North High |
Ashley | Muench | Ste. Genevieve | Valle Catholic High School |
Claire | Mullaney | Ballwin | Cor Jesu Academy |
Ayrton | Munoz | Kansas City | Staley High |
Brendan | Murphy | Imperial | Lutheran High School South |
Zachary | Murphy | Chesterfield | Lafayette Sr. High |
Tiffany | Newburry | Desloge | North Co. Sr. High |
Zachary | Nicewarner | St. Charles | Francis Howell High |
Alexander | Noddings | Chesterfield | Saint Louis Priory School |
Haley | Null | Festus | Jefferson High |
Lian | Ojakangas | Springfield | Central High |
Obasi | Onuoha | O’Fallon | Ft. Zumwalt West High |
Olivia | Paden | Dearborn | North Platte High |
Abigail | Page | St. Peters | Ft. Zumwalt South High |
Raymond | Page | Bland | Owensville High |
Ye Eun | Park | Springfield | Kickapoo High |
Shelbey | Parnell | St. Louis | Metro High |
Willow | Pastard | St. Louis | Metro High |
Eric | Patterson | Joplin | College Heights Christian School |
Hannah | Payne | Darlington | Albany High |
Doraida | Perez | Kansas City | Ruskin High |
Justin | Persell | Richmond | Richmond R-16 High |
Caitlin | Pettman | Kansas City | Lincoln College Prep. |
Allison | Pierce | Fulton | Fulton Sr. High |
Mauricio | Pimentel | St. Louis | Metro High |
Corinne | Piotter | Columbia | Columbia-Hickman High |
Daijah | Porchia | Kansas City | Ruskin High |
Devin | Powell | Ballwin | Lafayette Sr. High |
Duane | Price | Independence | Truman High |
Kelly | Proctor | Saint Joseph | Lafayette High |
James | Pugh | St. Peters | Francis Howell Central High |
Spenser | Pulleyking | Springfield | Central High |
Tess | Rawlins | St. Albans | The Fulton School at St. Albans |
Shelby | Rees | Palmyra | Palmyra High |
Miranda | Reese | St. Louis | Bayless Senior High |
Matthew | Reynolds | Joplin | Webb City High |
Laura | Rice | Excelsior Springs | Excelsior Springs High |
Andrew | Riggs | Webster Groves | Metro High |
Lucille | Right | St. Louis | Oakville Sr. High |
Timothy | Rinker | Kansas City | Center Sr. High |
Corey | Robertson | Cape Girardeau | Jackson Senior High |
Kathryn | Rodman | Boonville | Boonville High |
Catherine | Rodriguez | Columbia | Rock Bridge Sr. High |
Alyse | Rogers | Lake St. Louis | Barat Academy |
Thomas | Roustio | Independence | Blue Springs High |
Kendra | Rowey | St. Louis | Parkway North High |
Emily | Royer | Lees Summit | Blue Springs South High |
Maximilian | Schindler | St. Louis | Ladue Horton Watkins High |
Kyle | Schloss | Fenton | Rockwood Summit High |
Rebecca | Schreiber | Fenton | Northwest High |
Ariana | Schulte | DeSoto | Hillsboro High |
Khala | Schulte | Russellville | Russellville High |
Jacqueline | Schultz | Florrissant | McCluer North High |
Emily | Schwenneker | Princeton | Princeton R-V High |
Rachel | Scott | St. Louis | Oakville Sr. High |
Tyler | Scott | Gladstone | Oak Park High |
Thomas | Shannan | Kahoka | Scotland Co. R-I High |
Emily | Sheets | Cape Girardeau | Cape Central High |
Kevin | Shi | Chesterfield | Marquette Sr. High |
Daniel | Shyu | Columbia | Columbia-Hickman High |
Taylor | Singleton | Kansas City | Ruskin High |
Christina | Sittser | Ballwin | Parkway South High |
Bailey | Smith | Lee’s Summit | Lee’s Summit Sr. High |
Makenzie | Smith | Jefferson City | Jefferson City High |
Thomas Nick | Smith | Kansas City | Park Hill South High |
James | Sorsen | St. Louis | Pattonville Sr. High |
Nicole | Sparks | Fenton | Rockwood Summit High |
Matthew | Spencer | Columbia | Christian Fellowship School |
Benjamin | Spitznagel | St. Louis | Metro High |
Emily | Spreitzer | Kearney | Kearney High |
Blake | Stephens | Plattsburg | Plattsburg High |
Taylor | Stevens | Jefferson City | Jefferson City High |
Taylor | Straatmann | Washington | Washington High |
Rebekah | Strode | Belle | Belle High |
Jensen | Tedrow | Lees Summit | Lee’s Summit North High |
Jason | Tian | Warrensburg | Warrensburg High |
David | Ting | Springfield | Central High |
Felix | Titalangha | Kansas City | Ruskin High |
Benjamin | Trask | St. Louis | Metro High |
Kristina | Tschomakoff | St. Louis | Metro High |
Matthew | Tucker | Ballwin | Eureka Sr. High |
Kenya | Turner | Hazelwood | McCluer High |
Tyler | Uhrich | Ste. Genevieve | Ste. Genevieve Sr. High |
Adam | Venneman | O’Fallon | Ft. Zumwalt West High |
Christopher | Vlamis | Liberty | Liberty High |
Hien | Vo | St. Louis | Metro High |
Zachary | Vogel | Jackson | Saxony Lutheran High |
Rachel | Volmert | Columbia | Rock Bridge Sr. High |
Catherine | Wagner | St. Louis | Villa Duchesne/Oak Hill School |
Forrest | Walker | Kansas City | North Kansas City High |
Joselyn | Walsh | Canton | Canton High |
David | Wang | Grover | Lafayette Sr. High |
Callie | Warren | Kansas City | North Kansas City High |
Taylor | Washburn | Eagleville | North Harrison High |
Paul | Watkins | Ferguson | Crossroads School |
Grant | Watkins-Davis | Buckner | Fort Osage High |
Lillian | Webster | St. Louis | Nerinx Hall High School |
Martha | Weilert | Kansas City | Lee’s Summit North High |
Benjamin | Weinstock | St. Louis | Parkway North High |
Avery | Welker | Perryville | Perryville Sr. High |
Erin | Welker | Marble Hill | Meadow Heights High |
Caleb | Welsh | O’Fallon | Ft. Zumwalt West High |
Christina | Wesley | St. Louis | Parkway North High |
Hannah | Wiedner | St. Louis | Parkway Central High |
Preston | Williams | Kansas City | University Academy-Upper |
Haley | Willis | Republic | Republic High |
Dean | Wilson | Foristell | St. Francis Borgia Regional High School |
Madeline | Wilson | St. Charles | Francis Howell Central High |
Martina | Wilson | Kirkwood | Kirkwood Sr. High |
Glenn | Winfrey | Sibley | Fort Osage High |
Alexandra | Wirth | St. Louis | Bishop Du Bourg High School |
Logan | Wittmaier | Defiance | Francis Howell High |
Michael | Witwer | Chesterfield | St. John Vianney High School |
Daniel | Woods | Jonesburg | Warrenton High |
Clayton | Woolery | Joplin | Thomas Jefferson Independent School |
Crystal | Wren | Florrissant | Hazelwood Central High |
Mitchel | Wride | St. Louis | Webster Groves High |
Paige | Wulff | St. Charles | Orchard Farm Sr. High |
Yuxuan | Xiao | Kansas City | Liberty High |
Bowen | Yang | Columbia | Columbia-Hickman High |
Joy | Yang | Chesterfield | Parkway Central High |
Jason | Yarber | Milo | Nevada High |
Jason | Yuan | Saint Joseph | St. Joseph Central High |
Samantha | Zuehlke | Fenton | Ursuline Academy |