Liam Crawford was persuaded by Elllis High School activities director Derek Schoenthaler to apply for a spot on the KSHSAA Student Advisory Team for the 2021-22 school year. 

Initially, Crawford, a sophomore at Ellis when he applied, admitted he didn’t really know what he was getting himself into. 

“I honestly didn’t even know it existed until (Schoenthaler) said something about it to me,” said Crawford, now a senior. “He had a kid from Ellinwood do it when he was down there, and he thought I would be great at it.”

Crawford applied by sumbitting an essay and was selected to join the advisory team, which is comprised of 12 students – six juniors and six seniors – who represent their respective classifications by providing valuable input on important and timely topics on behalf of students. 

With one year on the board under his belt and another upcoming, Crawford now fully understands the vital role the team plays in advising the KSHSAA. 

“It’s the student voice to KSHSAA,” Crawford said. “If KSHSAA has a new policy or they’re having problems with something they’re going to change, they’ll come and talk to us, because we’re the student voice for Kansas. They ask us what our opinions are on certain things and how it’s going to affect us and what input we have.”

It’s a responsibility Crawford and his fellow student advisory members don't take lightly. 

“I’ve been some of the first to know about things, and I come back here and ask what other people’s opinions are,” said Crawford, who is the Capitol Federal® True Blue® Student of the Week.

One of the recent topics at the forefront has been the issue of classification for private schools. 

The advisory team played a significant role in those discussions, suggesting that a success factor should be included in the criteria in the proposal for a multiplier formula to be applied to private schools. The current multiplier proposal was passed in a vote by KSHSAA member schools last summer, but the proposal will need approval from the Kansas State Board of Education and the Kansas State Legislature before being adopted. 

Crawford is a senior representative for Class 2A. The returning seniors on the advisory team are Aubree Blackman from Olathe West (6A), Nick Treaster from Newton (5A), Dakota Brockman from Concordia (4A), Olivia Lehman from Goodland (3A) and Faith Bloom from Wetmore (1A). The juniors beginning their first year on the team are Zeke Brown from Wichita East (6A),  Sydney Crees from Goddard-Eisenhower (5A), Hayley Hines from Paola (4A), Jackson Voth from Cheney (3A), Sophia Weber from Herington (2A) and Lane McMannis from Canton-Galva (1A). 

The advisory team met four times last year and will have their first meeting of this school year next week in Topeka. 

“It’s cool because I get to interact with people from Newton, Topeka, schools that I’ve never been to, and I get to interact with these people from different environments," Crawford said. "Some schools have 300 kids in their class, and my school only has 30. It’s just a cool experience, and I would recommend it to anybody.”

Over the summer, Crawford got a chance to enhance his leadership skills at the National Federation of High School’s Student Leadership Summit in Indianapolis. 

“My favorite part was just the interaction with other kids around the country,” Crawford said. “I was the only one from Kansas and I met people from California, Pennsylvania, Florida. It’s just cool to see their insight and how things work in their state compared to my state. We were all there to do the same thing – become better leaders.

“I never thought I’d get to experience something like that, growing up in a small town in Kansas.”

Crawford is a three-sport athlete – football, wrestling and baseball. He's also active in Kansas Association of Youth, student council and is a member of the school’s student digital media team. 

"Liam is astute and shows an unwavering passion for others,” Schoenthaler said. “His positivity and desire to seek success resonates amongst his peers as he very intentionally applauds and motivates those around him.  These selfless and caring traits demonstrate a maturity and character that reflect a young man with a big heart who is easy to root for.  That is why we love Liam so much.”

Crawford said his leadership skills came to him gradually as he got older. 

“I would say it was more something that I developed,” Crawford said. “I have an older brother (George) who is a grade right above me. He’s a freshman (in college) this year. He was a natural leader, and I tried to build off him because I wanted to be like him. I think it grew on me, the way he leads. I believe I learned it over time, growing up with him.”

Crawford just got accepted into Wichita State University and plans on majoring in sport management. 

“I want to work in the sports department somewhere,” he said.  "I love sports, so I figure, why not make it your job?”

Crawford said he’s enjoyed his small-school experience and wants to continue to make an impact at Ellis throughout his senior year. 

“At a small school, you get to interact with everybody and you know everybody,” Crawford said. “I have 30 kids in my class and I know every one of them and hang out with them all the time. And you don’t have to try out to be in certain sports and certain clubs. That’s really cool to me. 

“I want to make a difference. One kid at a time, just talking to them and changing their day. I want to be remembered as somebody who was a great leader.”