Special to The Hays Daily News

Fort Hays State University will kick off its annual 13-city Student Recognition Program traveling scholarship series on Jan. 25 with an event in Denver. High school juniors and seniors in Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado have been invited to SRPs in their areas.

SRPs are conducted in communities across Kansas, southern Nebraska and in Denver to accommodate area students and their parents and guardians. High school seniors will receive certificates for a variety of scholarships that have been awarded to them by FHSU.

FHSU alumni and other interested community members are also encouraged to attend.

Receptions, hosted by local FHSU alumni, include a dessert buffet provided by the FHSU Alumni Association, a multimedia presentation by University President Edward H. Hammond and two drawings -- one for a $400 FHSU Student Recognition Program Scholarship and another for a tablet computer.

Programs in this area are scheduled as follows:

* The Phillipsburg SRP begins at 7 p.m. Feb. 2, in the Huck Boyd Community Center, 860 Park. The registration deadline is Jan. 26. The event recognizes FHSU scholarship winners from Phillips, Graham, Norton and Smith counties and from Stockton and Palco in Rooks County.

* Colby's SRP, at 7 p.m. Feb. 2, will be in the City Limits Convention Center, 2227 S. Range. The registration deadline is Jan. 29. Students are invited from the Kansas counties of Thomas, Cheyenne, Decatur, Gove, Logan, Rawlins, Sheridan, Sherman and Wallace, from the Nebraska counties of Chase, Dundy, Hayes and Hitchcock, and from the Colorado counties of Cheyenne and Kit Carson.

* The Great Bend SRP will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 5 in the Highland Hotel, 3017 W. 10th. The registration deadline is Feb. 2. This event recognizes students from Barton, Pawnee, Pratt, Rice, Russell and Stafford counties and from Otis-Bison High School in Rush County.

* The Beloit SRP, 7 p.m. Feb. 9, will be at Beloit High School, 1711 Walnut. The registration deadline is Feb. 5. Students are invited from the Kansas counties of Mitchell, Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Republic and Washington, from Osborne and Downs in Osborne County, and from the Nebraska counties of Clay, Jefferson, Nuckolls and Thayer.

* The Hays SRP, at 7 p.m. Feb. 23, will be in FHSU's Memorial Union, 600 Park St. The registration deadline is Feb. 19. The event features scholarship winners from Ellis and Trego counties and from Ransom in Ness County, La Crosse in Rush County, Plainville in Rooks County and Natoma in Osborne County.

* The Dodge City SRP is at 1:30 p.m. March 1 in the Knights of Columbus Hall, 800 Frontview, with a registration deadline of Feb. 25. The Dodge City SRP recognizes students from Ford, Clark, Comanche, Edwards, Gray, Hodgeman, Kiowa and Meade counties and from Ness City in Ness County.

To RSVP for any of the SRPs, call (785) 628-5673.

Scholarships to be awarded include the Miller Black and Gold Award, a renewable, $1,200-a-year scholarship; the Hays City Silver Academic Award, a renewable, $800-a-year scholarship; the Fort Hays Bronze Academic Award, a one-time, $700 scholarship; and the Copper Academic Award, a one-time, $500 scholarship.

These awards go automatically to students based on their scores on the ACT exam. Many high school seniors attending will also receive departmental Award of Excellence scholarships, which are one-time, $900 or $500 awards based on students' academic majors.

For more information, call the FHSU Office of Admissions at 1-800-628-FHSU or e-mail admissions@fhsu.edu. For information on contacting alumni sponsors of SRP receptions, contact the FHSU Alumni Association at (785) 628-4430 or alumni@fhsu.edu.