Anton Ahrens

2021 Distinguished Staff

Chemistry Instructor. A Topeka West graduate, Anton Ahrens’ college education background includes a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Science from K—State, Research Fellow at the Air Force Geophysics Lab, and Master of Science, Chemistry from KU. Teaching stints were at Highland Park HS (chemistry, physics, general science, and astronomy) and Topeka High (chemistry) from 1984 to 2016. In 2008 Mr. Ahrens was named Kansas Teacher of the Year (team), promoting public education across the state.

Gary L. Krohe

2021 Hall of Fame Inductee

Broadcast Engineer. Gary Krohe (1971) received his B.A in Communication Arts at Washburn and then majored in electrical engineering at K-State. He has held many positions in broadcast engineering, having designed and built many television stations. Presently (since 2014) he is Director of Engineering and Technology for KTWU-TV at Washburn University, However, Mr. Krohe is best known to Trojans as author, designer, and publisher of the coffee table book Portraits of Troy: The Architecture of Topeka High School.

Steve Holloman

2021 Hall of Fame Inductee

Educator/Music Director. After high school graduation, Steve Holloman (1970) majored in music education at Washburn. From there (1975) he taught general music and choir at Boswell Jr. High School. When that school closed in 1980, he became music teacher at Robinson Middle School and assistant band director at THS. After a year, Holloman was appointed band director at Topeka High, a post he held until 2016. Among numerous achievements, he took the Trojan Marching Band to the Cotton bowl Parade in 1986 and 1989. From 1992 to 2014, the performed 11 times at Disney World.

Marian Knight Douglas

2021 Hall of Fame Inductee

Security Officer. Active in sports at Topeka High, Marian Knight (1950) was a cheerleader for the school’s black basketball squad, the Ramblers, before integration of teams in 1949. She worked for ten years at the Kansas Neurological Institute prior to being hired by USD 501. Upon acquiring a certificate from the Topeka Police Academy, Mrs. Douglas became a security officer at Topeka High (1979 – 2017).