DCHS Alumni Association

Dodge City High School Senior, Stephanie Ortega, has been awarded the 2024 Riederer Family Scholarship. Ortega was selected for her active involvement in high school activities, community involvement, and excellent scholastic resume.

The Riederer Family Scholarship is a $20,000 scholarship awarded each school year beginning with the class of 2021.

Stephanie was a Varsity letter winner in DCHS Cheer, Drill Team, Band, Swimming, and Wrestling. She was captain for both cheer and drill team. She was Section Leader of the Year for band and received the Gold Star and Gunsmoke awards.

She is a two-time All-American NCA cheerleader and was twice named to the All-TOC Cheer Team. She was also selected to the All-Academic All-TOC Cheer Team. Ortega was also a three-time, All-Academic, All-WAC selection and member of the National Honor Society.

Louie Riederer is a 1973 graduate of Dodge City High School. In announcing the winner, Riederer expressed how pleased the committee was in the quality of the finalists. The committee selected Ortega due to her work ethic, commitment to furthering her education, her well-written essay, and her dedication to Dodge City High School and the community of Dodge City.

Stephanie plans to attend Dodge City Community College – before transferring to Wichita State University. Her plan is to major in Psychology and become a Pediatric Occupational Therapist.

There has been a lot of shifting in the world of NCAA Division 1 athletics over the past few years. However, one constant has been two Dodge City High School natives; Travis Goff (class of 1998) and Ross Bjork (class of 1991), who hold two of the most coveted leadership positions in the nation.

Due to their professional success, positive impact on student-athletes, and outstanding representation of Dodge City, both have also been selected as the DCHS Ring of Honor recipients for 2024.

Bjork was recently named the Senior Vice President and Athletic Director at Ohio State University. He previously served as the Athletic Director at Texas A&M and Ole Miss. Goff is currently the Director of Athletics at Kansas University, a position he has held since 2021.

The 2024 Ring of Honor Ceremony will take place on Friday, September 6, at halftime of the DCHS vs Woodward football game at Memorial Stadium.

The 1970 Red Demon Football brought Dodge City High School glory on the gridiron. Fifty years later, the DCHS Athletic Department held a reunion to celebrate the school’s lone football state championship. Unbeknownst to anyone at the time, the impact of those two events would compel a former Red Demon to begin the process of giving back in a big way! And the generosity of one, has become a trend for several Red Demon alumni and their families.

In 2021, Louie Riederer established the Riederer Family Scholarship. Louie was a mostly unknown sophomore practice player on the 1970 team. However, the lessons learned on the football field and the halls of DCSHS propelled him to a degree from the University of Kansas and career as a successful business man. In 1982, Louie purchased Johnny’s Tavern in Lawrence. Forty-two years later, he now owns and operates 13 locations – where you can order a “Dodge City” hamburger while watching your favorite team on the big screen! The Riederer Family Scholarship is a $20,000 scholarship that is awarded to a DCHS senior that has not only shown a strong work ethic in the classroom, but is also known to be a great teammate and community member. The scholarship is also unique in respect to the fact that it pays out over the course of four years – a rarity in the world of scholarships – as it rewards a student for “sticking it out”.

Not only has the Riederer Family Scholarship been a blessing for those selected, but it has served as a catalyst for several others.

The Jonny Boom Scholarship was established in 2021 in memory of Red Demon alum, Jon Mills. Jon was a former football and baseball player for the Red Demons before graduating in 2008. The scholarship is a one-time ($2,000) scholarship awarded to a DCHS baseball or softball senior.

Two brand new scholarships, the Russell Rogers Family Scholarship ($2,000) and Lance Nichols Family Scholarship ($500) were both initiated for seniors in the Class of 2024.

Russell Rogers was a 1979 alumni of DCHS and raised his family in Dodge City. He was proud to have all three of his boys, Dallis, Daniel, and Bradly, compete for the Red Demons before each graduated from DCHS.

Lance Nichols was not a graduate of DCHS, but did teach and coach at DCHS before spending 41 years in professional baseball. Both of his children, Ty and Tara, graduated from DCHS.

The legacy of community has always been strong in Dodge City. These distinguished alumni and their families are making sure that legacy is continued to the next generation of Red Demons!

Dodge City High School and the Dodge City Alumni Association announces the launch of the Riederer Family Scholarship for 2021.

The new scholarship program is aimed at students continuing their education beyond high school, while currently demonstrating a strong involvement in both high school and community activities.
The scholarship is open to current DCHS high school seniors. The Riederer Family Scholarship committee will award one $5,000 renewable scholarship each school year.

Louie Riederer is a 1973 graduate of Dodge City High School. Louie was a member of the Red Demon Wrestling and Football teams – including the 1970 State Championship team coached by JC Riekenberg. Louie has enjoyed a tremendous amount of business success in the Lawrence area and credits a great deal of that success to growing up in Dodge City.

I have great memories of growing up in Dodge City. Our family is excited to invest in the education of the young people of Dodge City who remind us so much of myself at that age. It is a proud moment for me and my family to establish this scholarship program.

Louie Riederer

To apply, students must complete an application using their DCHS Gmail account. Applications are due March 12 and the winner will be announced April 5, 2021.

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