As The Star honors its 2021 Scholar-Athletes, let’s check in with our winners from 2011

As The Star honors its 2021 Scholar-Athlete award winners this weekend, we are also continuing another long-standing tradition.

We’re catching up with the honorees from a decade earlier.

In 2011, Shawnee Mission Northwest’s Aaron Thornburg and Notre Dame de Sion’s Alexandra Keane were named The Star’s Scholar-Athlete award winners. They have, rather unsurprisingly, ascended in their young professional careers — one of them a short drive from home in St. Louis, another across the pond in France.

Here’s what each is doing now and how they reflect on their time back then.

AARON THORNBURG

Shawnee Mission Northwest

Residence: Antibes, France

Currently: Thornburg moved to France three years ago, where he works remotely as a chemical engineer, a career that follows through on the plans he made back in high school.

Family: Thornburg is married, and he and his wife welcomed their first child, a son, in January.

High school: Thornburg was a four-year letterman in both track and cross country at Shawnee Mission Northwest and graduated with three team state championships between the two sports. The cross country squad won titles his senior and freshman seasons, and the track team won the crown his senior season.

As a senior, he placed second at the state cross country meet in the fall. And then in the spring, he placed in the top-three in three separate events at the state track meet.

On top of that, he earned an academic scholarship to the University of Tulsa after a 4.78 grade-point average in high school.

“Ultimately, I have a lot of good memories of running races, but then it’s the daily stuff with all the teammates and classmates that I remember most — the people you’re doing everything with,” Thornburg said.

College: A teammate to a pair of runners who competed for the Olympics, Thornburg got a close look at some of the best runners in the country. And he contributed to the team cause along the way, scoring in the conference meet in both the 1,500 and the steeplechase.

The steeplechase?

He’d never run it before college but filled in to help the team and promptly placed fifth in the conference on his first try. Overall, of his college experience, Thornburg said, “I loved it. I had a really good time. It’s always amazing to be around some top-notch athletes. ... On the academic side, I felt like (Tulsa) had a great engineering program with a lot of pretty sharp classmates who helped give me an intellectually stimulating environment where I made a lot of friends.”

Sports now: Thornburg still runs, occasionally entering his name in competitive races, though fatherhood has a way of slowing that schedule. He also played in a recreational soccer league.

ALEXANDRA KEANE

Notre Dame de Sion

Residence: St. Louis

Currently: Plastic and reconstructive surgery resident physician at Washington University at Barnes-Jewish Hospital

Family: Keane is the oldest of five kids, which she’s mentioned has helped motivate her to set an example. She shares a special hobby with Grace, the second oldest of the five. More on that in a bit.

High school: Keane was a four-year letter winner in basketball and golf and enjoyed numerous accolades in both. On the basketball court, she scored 1,370, graduating as the school’s fourth-best scorer in program history. On the golf course, she helped Notre Dame de Sion win four consecutive state championships.

Oh, and she did that while maintaining a 4.36 grade-point average as the school’s valedictorian.

“High school sports were the best,” Keane said. “You’ve got everyone in your hometown there — your family, your friends. Some of the most fun I’ve ever had was playing high school sports. I just look back on those years as a lot of fun.”

College: Keane played point guard for Washington University, a team that won 20-plus games and made the tournament every year in which she played, once advancing to the Elite Eight. A foot injury cost her one season, so she played her final year of college athletics while in her first year of medical school.

Sports now: While Keane still plays basketball and golf when she can, she’s transitioned into the coaching world. Actually, she made that transition back in high school — that itch just hasn’t left. Along with Grace, a younger sister, Keane coaches a grade-school basketball team through the local YMCA.

Grace is also attending Washington University’s medical school.

“She knew of a team that needed a coach, and I’ve been looking to get back into it,” Keane said. “It keeps us busy, but I really enjoy it and between the two of us, we’re able to make it work.”

PREVIOUS BOYS WINNERS

1984: Danny Bellus, Washington

1985: Marlon Washington, Schlagle

1986: Brad Hinkle, Olathe South

1987: Jeff Witkop, Blue Valley North

1988: Jeff Drbohlav, Cass-Midway

1989: Tom Kreamer, SM East

1990: Shaon Fry, Oak Grove

1991: Aaron Hodges, Harmon

1992: Mike Wilson, Center

1993: Nate Minnis, Blue Springs

1994: Matt Mendlick, Olathe South

1995: Steve Fein, SM Northwest

1996: Josh Alpers, Blue Springs

1997: Brandon Wier, Olathe North

1998: Daniel Parris, Lee’s Summit North

1999: Corey Crandall, Fort Osage

2000: Tommy Hottovy, Park Hill South

2001: Jeff Durbin, Olathe South

2002: Justin Dyer, Olathe South

2003: Adam Perkins, Liberty

2004: Larry Hall, Center

2005: Louis Caputo, Blue Springs

2006: Aaron Trigg, Blue Valley West

2007: Scott O’Donnell, Oak Park

2008: Riley Reynolds, Blue Springs South

2009: Rick Settle, Olathe East

2010: Roy Wedge, Lawrence

2011: Aaron Thornburg, SM Northwest

2012: Zach Herriott, Rockhurst

2013: Nathan Butler, Leavenworth

2014: Sam Guinn, Blue Valley Northwest

2015: Dalton Schoen, Blue Valley Northwest

2016: Jacob Bohlken, Smithville

2017: Jacob Boyd, Smithville

2018: Jacob Sykes, Rockhurst

2019: Alex Totta, Blue Valley

2020: Hayden Gregg, Staley

PREVIOUS GIRLS WINNERS

1984: Suzanne Meyer, Center

1985: Angela Cox, Olathe North

1986: Gretchen Prather, Liberty

1987: Tricia Lillygren, Raytown South

1988: Lisa Arel, Lee’s Summit

1989: Melanie Ornes, Lee’s Summit

1990: Amy Fowler, Bishop Miege

1991: Amy Cook, Lansing

1992: Angie Popek, SM Northwest

1993: Lisa Petty, Lawson

1994: Lisa Davies, Oak Grove

1995: Lindsay Thornton, SM West

1996: Kelly Andra, SM Northwest

1997: Elizabeth Baker, Pembroke Hill

1998: Lauren Jackson, North Kansas City

1999: Andrea Tietjen, Excelsior Springs

2000: Katherine Hoffman, Notre Dame de Sion

2001: Shea Swoboda, Winnetonka

2002: Jill Tyner, St. Pius X

2003: Tegan Stuart, Raymore-Peculiar

2004: Toni Picerno, Lee’s Summit

2005: Katie Martincich, Bishop Miege

2006: Erin Birmingham, Park Hill South

2007: Ali Pistora, Tonganoxie

2008: Allison Mayfield, St. Thomas Aquinas

2009: Morgan Johnson, Platte County

2010: Megan Yohe, Liberty

2011: Alexandra Keane, Notre Dame de Sion

2012: Lexie Oak, St. Pius X

2013: Cassie Wait, Gardner-Edgerton

2014: Arianna Person, St. James Academy

2015: Dorian Bailey, St. Teresa’s

2016: Jenna Gray, St. James Academy

2017: Carlie Queen, Summit Christian Academy

2018: Kate Walsworth, Barstow

2019: Alana Vawter, Staley

2020: Lexy Farrington, Blue Valley North