Grayson Gilbert wearing jeans, a white shirt and sport coat, and cowboy boots, standing in front of a gold black and white balloon arch

We take pride in highlighting our outstanding alumni, and Grayson Gilbert, a 2018 graduate of Tonganoxie High School, is no exception.

While at THS, Grayson was involved in multiple sports and extracurricular activities. He played center for the football team and captained the 2017 squad to a flawless 9-0 season, securing both the Kaw Valley League title and the district championship. He also played first base for the THS baseball team, contributing to their impressive fourth place finish in the 2018 state tournament. Grayson also played the trombone in band and earned multiple forensics medals in Humorous Solo Acting and Informative Speaking, competing at the state level in both events his senior year.

After graduating, Grayson attended Kansas State University, where he majored in strategic communications and minored in political science. During his time at K-State, he served as president of the Public Relations Society of America-Kansas State chapter; he received the organization’s highest honor, the National Gold Key Award, in 2021.

Currently, Grayson works as a marketing specialist at Sifted, a Kansas City-based logistics intelligence software company, where he has elevated Sifted's media relations strategy, produces a podcast, and manages company events.

Looking back on his high school experience, Grayson expressed gratitude for the opportunity to explore multiple interests: "I’m most thankful for the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of sports and activities, and how supportive those coaches and teachers were of students who wanted to pursue multiple things at once. It allowed me to explore a variety of interests while creating some of my life’s best memories."

Help us recognize our awesome alumni! Send your alumni spotlight nominations to socials@tong464.org!