DesotoExplorer.com / Roddick receives Rising Star Scholarship

Archive for Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Jhasmine Roddick, a 2008 graduate of De Soto High School, accepts her Rising Star award.

June 4, 2008, 2:07 p.m.

Updated: June 4, 2008, 5:24 p.m.

Starlight Theatre named De Soto High School 2008 graduate Jhasmine Roddick a Rising Star Scholarship recipient at Starlight's sixth annual Blue Star Ceremony May 22.

More than 20 high school theater students applied for the 2008 Rising Star Scholarship in April, each nominated by their Blue Star school instructors.

The Blue Star program, sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, each year awards $2,500 Rising Star scholarships to one male and one female senior who have made the greatest contributions to their high schools' theatre and music departments.

De Soto High choral music director Mary Etta Copeland recommended Roddick for the award.

"I've always found Jhasmine to be very receptive to working as asked," Copeland said in her letter of recommendation. "She's very much a self-starter and can be depended upon to work on her own."

Roddick had roles in "The Wizard of Oz," The Sound of Music," and "Annie" during her high school career. She also was the editor in chief of the school newspaper, and she was in forensics, student council and National Honors Society.

She plans to attend Kansas University in the fall where she will study theater and journalism.