Journalism adviser Gasper, gifted student named Best of Best

By CRISTINA JANNEY

Bill Gasper was named the Best of the Best staff member for May Monday at the Hays school board meeting.

Hays Post

Bill Gasper was recognized with Hays USD 489’s Best of the Best award Monday night.

Gasper, the adviser for Hays High School’s student newspaper, yearbook and website, was nominated by students.

Gasper also directed the school’s annual spring play.

Gasper was honored with the Jackie Engel Award this spring, which is the highest honor for a journalism adviser in the state.

The HHS student journalism program took seconds in the Kansas Scholastic Press Association contest this year. The school’s news website received its first All-American ranking as well.

The Indian, the HHS yearbook, received All-Kanas and an All-American rating for the second year in a row.

Anniston Weber, Gasper’s student ,was named the Kansas 3A-4A Journalist of the Year this year.

Students described Gasper as an inspiration, who cared like a friend or a dad. One student said he was the most “outwardly grumpy but inwardly genuine people I have ever met.”

“So it is his drive and want to see students succeed and his personable, genuine style that makes him worthy of this month’s Best of the Best award,” said Madison Creese, co-editor in chief of The Guidon.

The student recipient of May’s Best of the Best Award was Kritin Sharma, fourth-grade student in the SPARK program, which is the district’ program for gifted students.

Kenda Leiker, SPARK teacher, nominated Sharma.

“Kritin Sharma’s dedication to learning, his drive for challenges and motivation to do his best always, puts him in the category, I believe, of Best of the Best,” she said. “He comes to SPARK every weak ready to work and improve himself.”

Leiker said Sharma began SPARK in second grade as a shy learner who was afraid he would not do his best. As he has grown in the program, he has become more willing to take risks.

“As a fourth grader he is one for the more creative thinkers who is willing to fail because he perceives failure as an avenue to growing and learning something new,” Leiker said.

She said Sharma thinks outside of the box and pursues problems in a variety of ways.

“Kritin never settles. He perseveres. He searches for understanding,” Leiker said. “Whether it be a small assignment or large in-depth project, Kritin pushes himself to complete neat, higher-quality work.

“Not only does Kritin have a strong work ethic, his social etiquette and superior behavior exceeds those of others.”