Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence announced last week that two of its prestigious 2021 Academic All-State Award winners hail from Kingfisher High School.

KHS seniors Prairie Kaya and Cayman Matson were named among the 100 top public high school seniors, selected from 379 nominations statewide.

KHS joins 13 other school districts with more than one honoree this year and the majority of those districts have much larger student populations.

David Boren, founder and chairman of the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, describes the selection of the scholars as “Oklahoma’s most rigorous academic awards selection process.”

To be nominated for Academic All-State, students must meet one of the following criteria: an American College Test (ACT) composite score of at least 30; a combined SAT evidence-based reading & writing and math score of at least 1370; or be selected as a semi-finalist for a National Merit, National Achievement or National Hispanic Scholarship.

“It’s a tough selection process, but only 100 students are selected each year,” KHS counselor Paula Leffingwell said. “We’ve had students in the past with high ACT scores, stellar grades and impressive resumes who haven’t been selected and were very deserving.

“For us to have two selections is amazing in itself and the two selected this year are excellent choices. Both of them are standout individuals and we can’t wait to see where their futures take them.”

Prairie Kaya

The daughter of Kurt Kaya and Shel Wagoner, Kaya’s honors include the 4.0 Award, KHS Award of Academic Excellence and academic achievement awards in world history and biology, the best newcomer award in drama, the Next Maya Angelou Award in poetry, and student of the month in three successive years.

She was named to National and Oklahoma honor societies and received awards in biology and news editing at the Southwestern Oklahoma State University Interscholastic Meet (SWIM).

Kaya was selected as KHS Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Conference ambassador and later served in a junior leadership position as a recruitment volunteer.

She also was named ambassador to the University of Oklahoma’s High School Leadership Conference and the Asian Pacific Islander and Desi American Leadership conference.

She was the 2020 Cimarron Electric Cooperative Youth Tour Video Contest grand prize winner and selected to attend the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute in creative writing and acting.

At KHS, she is the founder and president of the Dead Poet’s Society and the Eco-Club, is a member of the history club and academic quiz bowl team, props manager, performer and crew member in the drama department, flute section leader in the band and a member of the Red Carpet and all area honor bands.

Kaya has been accepted into the Helmerich School of Drama at OU as a dramaturgy major, based on an interview, original essay, portfolio and writing samples.

She also is a member of the OU Honors College and is an Oklahoma State Regents Institutional Nominee Scholar.

Kaya plans to study theater history, directing, playwriting, stage production and acting, with the goal of working in the professional theater industry.

Cayman Matson

The son of Drs. Rob and Lisa Matson, Cayman Matson also was named a National Merit Scholar semifinalist, only the seventh in the history of KHS.

He is a member of the Oklahoma and National honor societies and superintendent’s honor roll and serves as president of the school’s chapter of NHS.

Matson earned a first place in Oklahoma history at SWIM and is captain of the KHS academic team.

Matson was elected junior class president and serves as president of the Gender-Sexality Alliance Club.

He also is a volunteer with the Kingfisher County Election Board and participates in community theater.

Matson plans to attend Johns Hopkins University to study biomedical engineering, specializing in prosthetic design and manufacturing, with the eventual goal of working for one of the nation’s leading prosthetic companies.

The 2021 Academic AllState class is the 35th to be selected by the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence. Since the award program’s inception in 1987, some 3,500 high school seniors from 330 school districts have been named as honorees

Previous Academic AllStaters at KHS include: Derek Wrobbel, 1987; Richard Flood, 1989; Carla Seaton, 1990; Lori Seefeldt, 1993; Kristen Harrison, 1996; Jennifer Gooden, 1997; Branson Kester, 1998; Courtney Ruark, 1999; Beelie Biehler, 2000; Andrew Kadavy, 2002; Jamie Quitoriano, 2007; Robert Walter, 2009; Valerie Gooden, 2010; Grant Newton, 2013; Alan Murphey, 2015, and Bree Taylor, 2019.

Each of this year’s AllStaters will receive a $1,000 merit-based scholarship and a medallion. The All-Staters will be recognized at the foundation’s 35th annual Academic Awards Celebration on Saturday, May 22, at the Cox Business Center in Tulsa.

This year’s All-Staters scored an average of 33 on the ACT, with 11 recipients scoring a perfect 36. The students’ average GPA was 4.26. In addition, 34 of this year’s All-Staters are National Merit semifinalists, and two are National Hispanic Scholar semifinalists.

Academic All-Staters are selected based on academic achievement, extracurricular activities and community involvement, as well as letters of recommendation and an essay submitted by each nominee.

“The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence Academic Awards Program is the Oklahoma’s premiere awards program honoring academic achievement, innovation and leadership among students and educators in our public schools,” said Executive Director Emily Stratton. “By recognizing outstanding students and educators, we send a strong message that Oklahomans value academic excellence.”