2010-2011 Student Ambassador of the Year Award Recipients:

Kaitlin Ptacek - Dorrance, KS
Jared Marcuson - Oberlin, KS

Pictured with John and Gayle Ballhorst

 

2010-2011 Rock Award Recipient
Corey LaMoureaux - Westminster, CO 

2009-2010 Brant J. Ballhorst Student Ambassadors of the Year

2009-10 Award Recipients:

Annalee Webb - Gardner, KS
Jared Marcuson - Oberlin, KS

2009-10 Admissions "Rock" Award Recipient:

Kaylee Carter - Ottawa, KS
Anna Freund - Great Bend, KS
Jessica Kumle - Great Bend, KS 

2008-2009 Brant J. Ballhorst Student Ambassadors of the Year

2008-2009 Award Recipients:

Danielle Reisner - Hoisington, KS
Jared Marcuson - Oberlin, KS

2008-2009 "Rock" Award Recipient

Marcie Latham - Wakefield, KS

2007-2008 Brant J. Ballhorst Student Ambassadors of the Year

2007-2008 Award Recipients:
Amber Tuttle - Gove, KS
Sarah Hubbell - Spearville, KS

2007-2008 Admissions "Rock" Award Recipient: Danielle Reisner - Hoisington, KS (left)

2006-07 Brant J. Ballhorst Student Ambassadors of the Year

2006-2007 Award Recipients:
Darren Goetz - Grinnell, KS
Meghan Carey - Hutchinson, KS

2006-2007 Admissions "Rock" Award Recipient:
Sunny Branick - Russell, KS (right)

 

2005-2006 Brant J. Ballhorst Student Ambassadors of the Year

2005-2006 Award Recipients:

Dalen Meier - Grinnell, KS
Kendra Anderson - Oberlin, KS

 

2005-2006 Admissions "Rock" Award Recipient:
Nicole Koffman - Assaria, KS

Tribute to Brant J. "BJ" Ballhorst

 

Barton will continue to honor Ballhorst's achievements, character, personality and work ethic by awarding future Ambassadors of the Year in his memory.

______________________________

The spring of 2005, the Barton Admissions Office began awarding annual "Student Ambassadors of the Year". In memory of Brant J. "B.J." Ballhorst, the award recognizes two outstanding Student Ambassadors chosen by their peers and Barton's admissions staff each year.

B.J. was a 2002 Barton graduate and former Student Ambassador. Despite health concerns throughout his time at Barton, he was the model ambassador. He balanced a challenging course schedule and golf team commitment while remaining dedicated to his role as Student Ambassador. B.J. was a respected peer and cherished friend of many on campus, but especially to the Admissions Office staff. His determination and dedication touched the lives of everyone he met.

Graduating from Barton with a degree in pre-pharmacy, he was accepted into and attended the School of Pharmacy at the University of Kansas. He was a student at KU until his death on Aug. 5, 2004. He always had a good attitude about his illness and joked that it was good education for his major.

Barton will continue to honor B.J.'s achievements, character, personality and work ethic by awarding future Ambassadors of the Year in his memory.

What others said about B.J.:

"From the first day that I met Brant I could tell he was a special person. He touched everyone's lives and his determination and dedication rubbed off on every person that he came in contact with. He always came to work with a smile on his face and was ready to work no matter how tired or sick he felt from his treatment. I will never forget his positive attitude. Brant never had a bad thing to say about anyone, I admired him for that. He was always willing to go out of his way to help people. I hope each Student Ambassador at Barton County Community College can take something from Brant's life and use it in their own experiences."

"Brant was a dependable student. You could always count on him showing up for work and more importantly, showing up with a smile. He never complained of his illness. He just wanted to hang with his friends as college kids do and experience the college life as a student, athlete, and student ambassador. He spoke highly of his family, loved sports, liked a good practical joke and was a very smart young man. He would have made a terrific pharmacist. Brant made me a better person in simply knowing him and being around him."

"I had so much admiration for him and learned a lot about determination from him."

"He was the best of the best!"

"B.J. was a very special person and with such courage."

"He was a tribute to his family. He was the man he was because of this parents and their raising of him."

 

 

Admissions Staff and Awards recipients:
Todd Moore, Louie Ochoa, Kathy Desemo, Corey LaMoureaux, Kaitlin Ptacek, John Ballhorst, Gayle Ballhorst, Tana Cooper, & Jared Marcuson

 

Wall plaque for permanent display located in Kirkman Activity Center(Pictured are BJ's parents John and Gayle Ballhorst)