Although he is an outstanding student who has always taken a full load of classes and maintained a strong GPA, it is his character and hard work that have earned Ian Mannings the honor of being a Rosemary Zander Award winner.

Academics have not always come easy to Ian. When he arrived at Parkway West High School, his Individualized Education Program (IEP) called for him needing extended time accommodations—up to triple time. Ian is a perfectionist and does not just do things to get them done; he wants to learn them. Eventually, though, Ian and his support team have worked to decrease the amount of extended time that he needs to time and a half.
“This is a direct reflection of Ian’s hard work, consistent application of learned strategies and motivation to improve,” said his teacher, Renee Blomenkamp.

In addition to his academics, Ian is a member of the Parkway West symphonic orchestra, participates on the robotics team and is a member of the Mountains and Valleys club. He volunteers with Special Olympics and earned a Longhorn Pride award recognizing “ordinary students doing extraordinary things.”

Outside of school, Ian is a second-degree blackbelt in Tae Kwon Do and earned fifth place in sparring at the United States Tae Kwon Do Nationals in 2018. His hope is to be accepted into the Air Force Academy, and he is preparing both physically and mentally to reach this lifelong goal. He was accepted to attend the United States Air Force Academy Summer Seminar in 2020, before it was cancelled due to COVID-19.

“Most impressive is just who Ian is as a person,” Blomenkamp said. “It is hard to put into words this young man. He is genuine, compassionate and impressive—just an outstanding human.”