The Raymore-Peculiar Public School Foundation announces two recipients of the 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award: Shara (Clevenger) Brice and Danielle (Gowing) George. The award recipients have excelled in their careers and have given back to their communities.They will be honored on Sept. 14 at a special luncheon, at a tailgate party sponsored by the Foundation, and at the Homecoming Football Game.

Shara (Clevenger) Brice started attending Ray-Pec schools in 7th grade and graduated with the Class of 1987. Shara served as a class officer (treasurer, then president) all four years of high school. She was editor-in-chief of The Panther Times. A charter member of the Missouri Teen Institute, she led organizations such as SADD, Natural Helpers, and HART. She attended Girls State and was one of 300 students selected to attend the first Missouri Scholars Academy. As a student, Shara led initiatives which resulted in weighted classes and Project Graduation being introduced to Ray-Pec.

With her sister, Alisa Quest, she founded Cheerbringers of America in 1984, and Foxwood Springs Intergenerational Academy in 1989. Shara received the Class of 1987 RP Principal’s Award.

Shara graduated Summa Cum Laude from William Jewell College in 1991, and was honored as America’s Top 20 “All-USA Academic Team” by USA Today in 1991. Shara earned her graduate degree at UMKC, where she received the Arthur Mag Fellowship. The Missouri Jaycees selected Shara as the Missouri Citizen of the Year in 1991.

Shara married Rev. Jonathan Brice and moved to England in 1992. She developed the Epping Forest Council for Voluntary Service to support 700 voluntary organizations, and was honored with the British Home Office “Make a Difference” Award in 1995. Shara founded Ascension Eagles in 1996, the London Cheerleading Academy in 2002, and Talent Central UK in 2010. Today, these London-based leadership charities continue to serve over 1,000 youth per month.

Shara’s community development work earned her the title of MBE (Member of the British Empire) in 2005, when she was just 36 years old. This honor from Her Majesty the Queen is rarely bestowed upon non-Nationals. Shara was named 2009 “Citizen of the Year” by the London Borough of Newham, and the 2010 “Woman of the Year” for the United Kingdom. She was selected as an Olympic Torch Bearer for the London 2012 Games. The Ascension Eagles provided performers for Olympic 2012 basketball and volleyball events.

In 2011, Shara’s family relocated to the States when her husband accepted the calling of Rector to Christ Episcopal Church in Aspen, Colo. Since 2012, Shara has served Colorado’s Chapter Leader for Our Community Listens (OCL). OCL is fostering a society where care and compassion rise above indifference and prejudice, person by person, community by community. In six years, Shara’s OCL Chapter has delivered 85 classes to 1500+ inspirational leaders. 

Shara and Jonathan Brice recently celebrated 26 years of marriage and ministry. Their daughter, Crichelle, is a 2017 graduate of Texas Christian University. She is pursuing graduate studies in Medical Anthropology. Their son Joel is a senior soccer player at William Jewell College. Shara’s parents, Cla and Eloise Clevenger, still reside in Kansas City and are regular supporters at Ray-Pec volleyball and soccer games.

Danielle (Gowing) George attended Ray-Pec schools from kindergarten through graduation from Ray-Pec High School in 1994.

Danielle learned about the importance of community involvement and "giving back" from her mom, Patsy Gowing, who owned an accounting firm and was also a Realtor who was very involved in the Chamber of Commerce. When Danielle was in college at Kansas State University, her mother passed away from breast cancer.

After college, Danielle began a career in sales and management, which continued until about 7 years ago. At that time, she decided to pursue her dream of running her own business to offer the flexibility of working from home while raising her children. She has a Healthy Meal Planning Consulting business. She also attends the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and is a Board-Certified Integrative Health Consultant.

At the age of 40 and having daughters ages 6, 4, and 2, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Danielle has used this life-altering experience to help others. While undergoing cancer treatment, surgeries, and medication, she continued to maintain her business and care for her family. She began helping other women in other areas, including breast cancer. She has become an advocate for self-care for women to be proactive with their health. In addition to family health coaching, she is writing a book about coping with trauma. She is beginning to schedule public speaking events for local companies and their employees.

In the future, she plans to create a program for pre-teen and teenage girls to deal with the pressure of society. She and her husband, Adam George, and three daughters, lived in Overland Park, Kan.