Bryant Lewis, a senior at Olathe East High School, has been named the 2019 Linwood Sexton Scholar at Wichita State.

Lewis will receive a full ride to attend WSU as a business management major starting this fall.
At his high school, Lewis is enrolled in a rigorous college-prep program, Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), taking numerous honors and AP courses.

He’s a first-stand violist in the Olathe East Orchestra, an honor he has held since his freshman year. He is also a student ambassador and is involved in the Hawk Leaders program, helping students successfully transition into his high school from middle school.

Outside of class, Lewis works 30 hours a week as an assistant manager at the AMC Theater after earning multiple promotions based on his performance.

“Bryant is outspoken, honest, loyal, carrying and oh so witty,” said Jennifer Rippee, an English and AVID teacher at Olathe East. “I look forward to him coming back to my classroom as a mentor, speaking to students who can benefit from his experiences and knowledge.”

The Linwood Sexton Scholarship was established in 2000 to honor its namesake, Linwood Sexton.
Sexton, a Wichita State legend in football, was a member of the Shocker Sports Hall of Fame and Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. A tireless advocate for equal opportunity and social justice, he was honored with many awards for his efforts to promote understanding and respect among people of different racial, religious and ethnic backgrounds.

Linwood Sexton passed away at the age of 90 in 2017, but his legacy lives on in the recipients of the Sexton Scholarship.

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