One hundred of St. Joseph's brightest high school students were lauded Thursday, including 11 teenagers studying from six other countries.

The high school seniors are in the top 10 percent of their graduating class. They were recognized by the Lions Club of St. Joseph, which has sponsored the Scholastic Honors Luncheon since 1962 to recognize students for academic rather than athletic achievements.

Buchanan County Circuit Judge Randall Jackson, a third-generation product of the St. Joseph School District, used his keynote address to apologize for his generation's actions in squandering the nation's prosperity. He assailed President Obama for embracing postmodern philosophy, the loss of traditional values in society and rampant political correctness.

"We are so paranoid to offend anyone in society that we're whitewashing the truth," said Mr. Jackson, a Division 1 circuit judge, who cited use of "horizontally challenged" for fat people. "Today, we're sold on a philosophy that there is no clear-cut truth."

Mr. Jackson said he wished he could bottle the talent in the room at the Fulkerson Center on Missouri Western State University's campus, and send it Washington, D.C.

He expressed optimism that once the nation recovers from economic hardship there will be a return to God and a "patriotic work ethic."

Keely King, 18, one of 26 students honored from Benton High School, said she will use what Mr. Jackson had referred to as "God-given talent" to become a cosmetic surgeon.

She soon will hear whether she's been accepted into the six-year medical school program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

"It's been really competitive to be at the top since freshman year," Ms. King said. "Academics don't get as much recognition as athletics ... so it's really nice to be recognized."

The Lions Club International, the world's largest service club organization, recognized 11 foreign exchange students for international academic excellence in St. Joseph schools. They are from Germany, Taiwan, the Czech Republic, Mexico, Norway and the Republic of Moldovia.

Ahmad Safi can be reached

at ahmadsafi@npgco.com.

The district's best

Benton High School | Brittany Beaver, Taylor Bricker, Erlend Buflaten (Norway), Jennifer Bunge, Kaylee Burris, Paden Chambers, Frank Dasta, Scott Hedden, Karyn Heim, Hsin-Ping Lin (Taiwan), Rachel Huntsman, Tanner James, Keely King, Jacob Kretzer, Megan Langdon, Kelsey Makos, Erin McAndrews, Christopher Michaels, Casey Moeck, Samantha Phillips, Sarah Reed, Christin Selke, Nicolas Straton, Holly Switzer, Colton Vaughn, Bryn Winger

Central High School | Engin Akkaya (Germany), Lorraine Andrew, Ross Barnett, Taylor Bronson, Abigail Cannon, Seanna Daise, Hannah DePriest, Victoria Drost, Mikka Elo, Paul Fortmeyer, Amber Garvey, Emily Hickman, Breana Higdon, Claire Humphreys, Lea Kelm (Germany), Tereza Kocisova (Czech Republic), Blanca Lopez (Mexico), Anna Maley, Haley Mann, Lucas McLaughlin, Taylor Miller, Elizabeth Modlin, Nicole Molumby, Felicia Nehl, Rebekah Overly, Sebastian Parzatka-Lipinski (Germany), Mackenzie Patterson, Lindsey Pearson, Kendra Quick, Morgan Russell, Lidia Sanduleac (Rep. of Moldova), Renee Schaaf, Alexander Schram, Melissa Schwader, Tyler Schwader, Brock Spinner, Chad Sprague, Stephanie Steidel, Brooke VanCleave, Josephine Waade (Germany), Cady Walter, Adam Williams, Joshua Wilson

Lafayette High School | Jessica Conant, Sarah Cook, Kalli Dishon, Amberly Fanning, Ethan Kanke, Rachel Kendall, Jordan Korell, Chasidy Kretzer, Lindsay Laderoute, Erin McDonald, Kara McGinnis, Krysta McGinnis, Hailey McGlaughlin, Cody Miller, Patience Mozee, Cassandra Sharp, Ciara Shepherd, Gunnerson Sumy, Justin Wheeler, Daniel Wilkinson, Bryson Wolf, Mandy Wu (Tawain)

LeBlond High School | Karen Brunner, Dain Finney, Christoph Lange (Germany), Jacob Lilly, Carl Merrigan, Brian McCullough, Jocelyn Van Vickle

St. Joseph Christian High School | Kortney Thornton, Rebekah Rogers