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Twelve years ago, a group of Johnson County kindergartners got a visit from a man named Barney Oldfield, who promised each of them $1,000 when they graduated from high school.
The year was 2000, and Oldfield, a retired Air Force colonel, stressed the importance of education to the 67 kindergartners, who had come from Johnson County's three schools to meet him.
Those kindergartners are graduating from high school and a foundation established by Oldfield is making good on his promise.
He died in 2003.
Ardyce Bohlke, program director for the Oldfield's foundation says 36 graduating students have been located and will receive the scholarships. Others are still sought.
Oldfield and his wife, Vada, have contributed more than $3 million to scholarship funds around the country.
