Two high school students, one from Leawood and one from Dodge City, were awarded one of Wichita State’s biggest scholarships Thursday.

Maribel Sanchez, a senior at Dodge City High School, and Matthew Miller, a senior at Blue Valley North High School, are this year’s winners of WSU’s Gore scholarships. The scholarship awards $60,000 to each recipient.

Sanchez is president of her school’s student council and senior class. She is treasurer of Future Business Leaders of America. She is interested in studying accounting at WSU.

She was elected ambassador for her high school chapter of the National Society of High School Scholars and for Youth Entrepreneurs.

“Maribel is a refreshing leader, and Wichita State will be better with her on campus,” teacher Jonathan Hansen said in a news release.

Miller is an Eagle Scout with Boy Scouts of America. Through Boy Scouts, he has built homes for families through mission trips to Mexico and Jamaica. He is interested in studying secondary education with an emphasis in chemistry at WSU.

“Matt is a student who shows great tenacity and initiative,” Jason Sickel, his choir director, said in the release. “He would be a wonderful asset to the WSU community.”

The Gore scholarships, awarded annually since 1954, recognize leadership and academic skills, university officials said. This year’s Distinguished Scholarship Invitational had more than 500 high school seniors participate – the largest competition in its history.

Sanchez and Miller were among 11 finalists in the competition.