2015-2016 Wallace Scholar biographies

Grant Blizzard

Grant Blizzard

Grant Blizzard, Andover High School

Grant is a second-year midfielder playing on the Wichita Renegades varsity lacrosse team. He is a member of the Andover Young Life youth group and a leader to new students as a member of the Andover Link Crew.

Mary Buchele

Mary Buchele

Mary Buchele, Garden City High School

Mary is involved in her 4-H program, holding every office in the Kourageous Kids 4-H Club and has traveled to Japan through a 4-H exchange trip. Mary is also involved in the debate and forensics programs, is a member of the marching band and wind ensemble and is involved in the gifted and talented program. Additionally, Mary is involved in her church, singing with the church choir and playing flute on a regular basis.

Benjamin Fradella

Benjamin Fradella

Benjamin Fradella, Living Stones Academy

Benjamin is a homeschool student from the Wichita area. He is involved with his youth group at his church. He participates in service projects locally and attends a mission retreat each year with his youth group. He enjoys reading, listening to music and playing the piano.

Diego Gomez

Diego Gomez

Diego Gomez, Northwest High School (Ft. Worth, Texas)

Diego is the president of the Philosophy Club and an active member of the Rocketry Club. He is also heavily involved in his school’s theater program. Most of Diego’s course work has been comprised of AP courses, and he is also involved in the STEM Academy. In his free time, he works at a local grocery story and plays the electric guitar and bass in a small band. He recently completed a three-year project restoring a vintage motorcycle.

Meghan Grimes

Meghan Grimes

Meghan Grimes, Maize High School

Meghan is involved in her high school volleyball and softball teams and has also participated in basketball. She is involved with Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), the Spanish Club and Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). She also participates in her church’s youth group activities and has played for various club volleyball and softball teams. 

Luke Hansen

Luke Hansen

Luke Hansen, Shawnee Mission Northwest

Luke is an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma candidate at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. Luke plays Euphonium and Trombone in several of the school bands and has participated in the KMEA All-State Band. He is a senior captain on the FIRST Robotics team, a member of the woodworking club and enjoys throwing the javelin, shot put, and discus in track and field. Luke is a member of the National Honor Society and is a National Merit Finalist.

John 'Colby' Moore

John 'Colby' Moore

John 'Colby' Moore, Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics

Colby is involved in the FIRST Tech Challenge team, the rowing team and has been elected as student of the month twice. He has received the bronze President's Volunteer Service Award for volunteer service hours he has performed since being admitted to the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics. During the summer, Colby interns at the Sooner Flight Academy, where he has interned and attended for more than 10 years.

Hunter Picard

Hunter Picard

Hunter Picard, Rose Hill High School

Hunter chose to graduate at the semester of his senior year at Rose Hill High School to further pursue his education at Wichita State University. He has been involved in baseball and competitive chess. He has taken multiple first place titles in chess tournaments, placed within the top ten at multiple state events and has tied for 20th in the nation. 

Charlotte Rippy

Charlotte Rippy

Charlotte Rippy, Wichita East High School

Charlotte is an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma candidate at Wichita East High School. She has played violin for nine years and currently plays in the Symphonia Orchestra. She has also been involved with theater and backstage management; she recently designed the costumes for East High School’s production of "The Pajama Game." She is a member of the National Honor Society and the Vice President of the French National Society. 

Kayle Schapmann

Kayle Schapmann

Kayle Schapmann, Norfolk High School (Nebraska)

Kayle is involved in cross-country, track and wrestling. He volunteers regularly at Faith Regional Hospital and he holds a part-time job at Shopko. Outside of academics, Kayle is active on his family farm where he regularly works after school and on weekends. 

Brianna Wallace

Brianna Wallace

Brianna Wallace, Bishop Miege High School

Brianna is the captain of her FIRST robotics team at her school. She is also a member of the state-qualifying Scholars Bowl Team and has qualified as an individual for the state piano festival. She made first honors the entirety of high school and is a member of the National Honor Society. She is a proud graduate of the Kansas Adventures in Outer Space camp program at the Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson, Kansas. Brianna is working toward the accomplishment of her dream of one day working at NASA.