The Clay Center Community High School Hall of Fame committee has selected three individuals to be inducted into the HOF Class of 2025. The honorees are Riley Rankin, Vanessa Thomas, and Suzie Wiemers-Fritz.

Riley Rankin’s accomplishments range from his experiences in Clay Center to embassies around the world. Locally, he was an Eagle Scout and an avid collector of Native American artifacts, which are currently displayed in the halls of the Clay County Courthouse. In his career with the U.S. State Department, he served in assignments throughout Europe and around the world and was associated with cabinet members, Presidents, and foreign dignitaries.

Vanessa Thomas is a popular vocalist and regularly performs throughout the country. She has command of a variety of musical genres, including opera, jazz, blues, gospel, and music theater. Thomas has entertained at venues such as the Hollywood Bowl and Carnegie Hall. Thomas often returns to Clay Center and performs for the Arts Council and City Band.

Suzie Wiemers-Fritz, a standout athlete in high school and college, has transferred her talents to the coaching profession. After her collegiate playing career, she worked as an assistant volleyball coach at Florida Atlantic, Barton County, and Kansas State. She was then selected as head coach at K-State in 2001. Her teams have qualified for 13 NCAA tournament appearances and her players have been recognized for numerous awards.

These three individuals will be honored at the Academic Awards Assembly on Monday, March 31, 2025, beginning at 7:00 p.m.