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By ALAN HOSKINS, Kansan Contributor

In May of 2008, Breanne Somolik and Wally Rachford graduated from Tonganoxie High School.

On Feb. 18, 2010, they will be honored as Kansas City Kansas Community College members of the 2010 All-Kansas Academic Team at an awards ceremony in Topeka – the first time one high school has had two All-Academic team members the same year.

“Tonganoxie High School should be extremely proud as another graduate, Brad Robertson, was on the All-Academic team last year,” said Stacy Tucker, Director of the KCKCC Honors Program and Phi Theta Kappa international honor society which co- sponsors the All-Academic team with the Kansas Association of Community College Trustees and the Kansas Council of Community College Presidents.

Kansas lawmakers and educators will attend the awards ceremony honoring 49 top Kansas community college scholars for their academic accomplishments. As members of the team, Rachford and Somolik are also nominees for the 2010 All-USA Academic Team sponsored by USA Today, Phi Theta Kappa and the American Association of Community Colleges.

Not only did Somolik and Rachford take classes together and graduate from Tonganoxie, both are leaning towards continuing their educations at Washburn University although the University of Kansas is also a possibility for both. They’re also KCKCC Presidential Scholarship recipients, are active in both the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) and Honors programs and hold jobs while attending KCKCC.

Rachford just finished up facilitating the 11th Annual Christmas in the City, a program which provided toys and other gifts to more than 1,100 kids living in residents administered by the Kansas City Kansas Housing Authority.

“It was really cool to see how happy the kids were getting their toys,” said Rachford. “But it was a tough job because only kids could go in and pick their toys and I had to say no to several parents who came and didn’t bring their kids.”

Somolik’s major project was her work at the Habitat for Humanity Restore Center in KCK.

“We were able to take many electronic items that otherwise would have been thrown away and recycled them which helped reduce waste and create a means to use already processed items rather than using more resources in the future,” said Somolik, who is also volunteers at the Lawrence Humane Society and is active in youth activities at the Lawrence Wesleyan Church which included a mission trip to Juarez, Mexico.

In addition to similar educational intentions, both also share a passion for wanting to help others. 

“I just want to help people,” says Somolik, a psychology major. “If I do not continue in psychology, I’d like to go into law school or government, as long as I do something to help people. I just like to make people happy.”

Rachford is majoring in pre-public administration and will go into public administration either at Washburn or KU. “I envision working in local city government and making decisions,” says Rachford, who keeps close political tabs by listening to talk radio and following elections.

An Executive Officer in PTK, he earned Honorable Mention as a PTK Distinguished Chapter Member and will be attending his second national PTK Convention in Orlando, Fla., this spring. He’s also a work study student in the Honors Program and in season, works at Wilderson’s Christmas Tree Farm in Basehor, selling trees up until Christmas and then trimming and shaping them in the summer months.

After five years of babysitting two children, Somolik has worked at First State Bank and Trust in Tonganoxie since Dec. 3, 2007, serving as a teller working the drive-up from 3-7 p.m. daily.

As Presidential scholars, attending KCKCC made financial sense as did Tonganoxie’s close proximity to the KCKCC campus. But both found the College offered more than was expected.

“I just love KCKCC,” says Rachford. “It’s been great. The teachers have been great. I’ve never had a class I hated. Working in the Honors Program has been especially good, the way Stacy (Tucker) and Sandi (Becker) do all the things for their students.”

“I’m glad I came here,” agrees Somolik. “I wanted to attend a smaller school with smaller classes because I felt more comfortable in a learning environment in which a teacher or professor could give individual attention and I really like the professors I’ve had, they really make sure I understand what’s going on. It’s also been a lot of fun meeting new people and the location makes it easier for me to participate in school activities.”

Both have also made lasting impressions on their instructors. “Breanne continuously acts on her understanding and her history journal is an exemplary account of her education as a student of history,” says History Prof. Dr. John Ryan.

“Always positive, ignores negativity, a true problem solver who rolls up her sleeves to become a part of the action for every project where students are feeling overwhelmed,” says Tucker.

“Wally is a well-informed person who likes to help others learn and clearly a student with a keen interest in advancing his knowledge,” says Social Science Prof. Dr. Tom Hall. “Wally definitely leads by example and his friendly competitiveness has helped drive other members to participate in numerous chapter events,” adds Tucker.

Both also have siblings who could follow in their KCKCC footsteps although it will be a while in the Brian and Michelle Somolik family where little sister Arena is just five. There’s also an older sister, Ariel, and older brother, Michael.

The son of Wallace and Patricia Rachford, Wally (he’s a III) has a younger brother, Patrick, a sophomore debater at Tonganoxie, and MacKenzi, an eighth grader.

“I highly recommend getting into the Honors program and Phi Theta Kappa,” says Rachford. “For Phi Theta Kappa, you have to have a 3.5 grade point average and completed at least 12 credit hours. You not only get to participate in a lot of activities but just by being a PTK member, you can get a scholarship to any college.” 

PHOTO: Fellow graduates from Tonganoxie High School, Kansas City Kansas Community College sophomores Wally Rachford and Breanna Somolik have been named to the All-Kansas Community College Academic Team for 2010, the first time one high school has produced two members the same year. (KCKCC Photo by Alan Hoskins)