KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne reports on stories in Overland Park, Johnson County and topics about government accountability. Share your story idea with Isabella.
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All she wants is for her late son's high school to announce his name at graduation. It's a request the Olathe School District has denied, citing a recent policy.
Treyton Hartsook, 18, was killed in a car crash while traveling with his family over winter break. His mom, Amber Hartsook, is still recovering from her physical injuries and the loss of her youngest son.
“He filled up a lot of space, life, and without him here, there's a lot of silence,” his mom admits.
The high school athlete and cello player had plans to attend community college after graduation, but never got the chance. The accident that claimed his life happened six months before graduation.
And now, with just a week left before the rest of his class will receive their diplomas, his mother sits at home wrapped in what would have been his post-ceremony present.
“I had the idea of gifting him a quilt for his graduation present," she explained, showing KSHB 41 News reporter Isabella Ledonne the handmade quilt. "And I had been collecting his shirts and jerseys since the time he was 3 years old.”
It's a gift she will hold on to, while she holds out for what would be another gift; a change of heart from the Olathe School District. This, after she says they told her they wouldn't be saying Treyton's name at commencement.
"It was really painful," she said. "It feels like they're just silencing an opportunity where we could recognize his existence, his importance in that class."
The district adopted a policy this past February specifying that deceased students can have their names printed in the program, and families can receive their diplomas. But, the option to read their names out loud was ultimately voted down by the school board.
KSHB 41 tried to ask the district about that policy change, but both the district and the school board declined our interview requests.
However, during the February board meeting when the decision was made, Board of Education board member Claire Reagan voted against reading the names of students who'd passed away, stating, “It would disrupt the flow of what people are experiencing.”
It's a topic that sadly, has come up before.
Carrie Van Buskirk's son Ben passed away in 2024. She, too, simply wanted to hear his name called at graduation. But, she says Olathe Schools initially told her "no."
“As soon as I was told no, we're going to remember him in silence, that was the most deafening silence I had ever heard," Van Buskirk said.
Refusing to accept that answer, she and other members of the community pushed back, causing the district to reverse course and allow his name to be announced after all.
“The reason why I fought so hard wasn't just to hear Benjamin's name, it was to spare another mother from going through this,” Van Buskirk explains.
And yet, two years later, Treyton's mom is going through the same painful process. Once again, the community appears to be rallying behind another grieving family, with nearly 4,000 people signing the petition to change the policy.
“What harm do you see in mentioning his name?” Hartsook questions.
As for what it would mean to her to have Olathe Schools permanently revise its policy?
“It would heal part of my heart," Hartsook said.
Board members offered their sympathy and compassion following Hartsook's pleas during Thursday night's public comment at the meeting. But members ultimately stood by their decision to keep the current policy in place, which does not allow for deceased students names to be read.
We emailed every school board member asking for a comment on the decision. No one agreed to an interview.
The Olathe School District provided a statement in response to multiple requests for interviews.
"In our large district, we have very sadly experienced student loss nearly every year. This is a complex and sensitive issue that our district has navigated alongside a significant number of families over the years. We recognize that this is an understandably trying time for all involved, and it is important that we provide clear, consistent guidance across our system. While there could have been different forms of recognition in the past, district leadership and the Board of Education saw the need to establish a unified approach for both families and administrators. Therefore, in February 2026, the district put forward Policy JP, developed with great care and thoughtfulness by a diverse group that included mental health professionals, school principals, and parents who have experienced the loss of a student, among others."
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