By DAVID COLBURN

News editor

Marion-Florence Superintendent Aaron Homburg was impressed as he looked around a Marion Middle/High School lunchroom packed with high school students and their relatives Monday for his first Marion Kiwanis Honors Banquet.

“There’s a lot of kids doing a lot of great things,” Homburg said. “It’s amazing when you look down the list at how many activities they’re in and they still maintain a 3.5 GPA.”

Conversely, high school principal Tod Gordon was attending his last honors banquet before retiring at the end of the year.

“It’s been good,” he said. “Kids take academics very seriously. The kids work hard in the classroom, and it shows tonight with the success. We had 177 invites — it’s going to be pretty full.”

Full enough that there wasn’t a full complement of silverware for everyone, a fact Kiwanis Club member Doug Heerey made light of in opening remarks.

“There are a lot of people here,” Heerey said, “and because of the size of the crowd, Aaron and Tod decided some people shouldn’t have knives. But anyway, everybody should have a fork.”

The annual event recognizes students who have maintained a 3.5 GPA for the year. Fifty-five students qualified for the honor this year. Gordon attributed the large number to the students’ dedication.

“Some of these kids aren’t involved in extracurriculars, they’re going to a job after school and getting home late at night, some later than kids who went to sporting events,” he said. “They’re doing their homework late, late at night.”

Before going through a buffet catered by Arletta’s Catering of Burns, Heerey led the assembly in a Kiwanis tradition by singing “America.” Key Club members Corbin Wheeler and Colin Williams led the flag salute and invocation respectively.

Key Club members were kept busy refilling glasses and busing tables; those at the first table to go through the buffet line were finished with their meals well before the last ones filled their plates.

MHS forensics students Devin Hamm, Samantha Kelsey, Colin Williams, and Grant Leffler provided after-dinner entertainment.

Homburg said the event also was a testament to the hard work put in by district staff to create a learning environment that encourages students to excel.

“We push every kid to be the best they can be, and we do that from the first day to the last day of school,” he said. “We have a great staff that does great things for the kids.”

seniors

Megan Bailey, Bailey Baker, Madison Coleman, Jacob Crabb, Meggan Frese, Ryann Grahn, Devin Hamm, Allison Hett, Austin Neufeld, Kyle Pierce, Samantha Richmond, Jackson Schneider, Lindsey Sigel, Zachary Stuchlik, Corbin Wheeler, and Colin Williams.

juniors

Sabina Abuzarova, Elisa Barba Ortiz, Christian Becker, Corrina Crabb, Kimmie Duncan, Drew Helmer, Emmy Hess, Eli Hett, Samantha Kelsey, Noah Kukuk, Paula Perez Monge, Jarred Rahe, Michaela Regnier, Rasso Ruttenauer, Tori Shults, and Maria Stuchlik.

sophomores

Cade Alleven, Chloe Burkholder, Shelby Cairns, Matthew Christensen, Bethany Grimmett, Emily Hutchison, Lillian Lundy, Cassandra Meyer, Cameron White, and Jaimee Wickman.

freshmen

Anne Baliel, Sara Grace Felvus, Melanie Garrett, Brandon Lange, Braedon Mercer, Megan Neufeld, Todd Palic, Laura Savage, Macy Sigel, Jaden Slifer, Jayden Spencer, Abigail Stuchlik, and Tristan Williams.