|
|
EDUCATION
Kentucky
American
sponsors
Science Fair
By: JESSICA
SINGLETON
Homes all
over town will be filling with poster board, paint, wires and
Styrofoam as students work to create erupting volcanoes, flying
model airplanes and spinning solar systems.
With help from a $1,800 donation from Kentucky American Water,
a science fair is coming to Owen County Elementary School on Feb.
13. Set-up and judging is from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. The award
ceremony is at 6 p.m.
Teena Gamble, Gifted and Talented teacher, is spearheading the
event.
“There have been science fairs in the past, but hopefully
the sponsorship will give the event a boost,” she said.
She said all students in Kindergarten through fifth grades will
qualify for the fair, although only the fifth-grade students will
be competing for a spot at the Northern Kentucky Regional Science
Fair.
Students will build displays to showcase their project, but will
also be interviewed by three judges from Kentucky American Water.
She said the interview will give every student an equal chance
to impress the judges.
In addition to increased science and public speaking skills, Gamble
said students will benefit from improved problem solving and creativity.
She said students can become experts on a topic they enjoy and
will have the satisfaction of completing a project.
She also encourages parents to get involved. She said parents
and students can use snow days to work on projects together.
“This is a great time for parents to get involved with their
child’s education,” she said
To reward students for their work, Gamble said Wal-Mart gift cards
will be awarded to the top three students in each grade. The first-place
gift cards are $50, second-place gift cards are $25 and the third-place
gift cards are $10. All participants will receive certificates
and various coupons from local businesses. The funding for the
prizes is available because of the sponsorship.
Susan Lancho is the Manager of Communications and Corporate Responsibility
at Kentucky American Water. She said the company is heavily involved
in many science and environmental education programs.
Lancho said the donation is an expansion of a program that started
with the company’s 100th birthday celebration in 1985. As
a part of the celebration, they sponsored a science fair in Fayette
County. This program started with 20 participants and has grown
to include over 600 students. She said the success of the Fayette
fair encouraged them to expand the program.
“We are thrilled to launch a new program,” she said.
“This is a step in the right direction.”
She said they were looking to find other communities to include
in the science program, when Gamble contacted the company. Gamble
submitted a proposal including a budget. Lancho said the proposed
budget fit within the framework of the science program and was
approved. After gaining approval from the Owen County School Board,
the project had its new home.
Gamble thanked Kentucky American Water for their help.
“Without their generous donation it would not be possible,”
she said.
Judge-Executive Billy O’Banion said he was very proud that
Kentucky American Water was sponsoring the science fair. He hopes
this sponsorship will motivate the kids to work hard and create
even better projects.
“Anytime corporate businesses invest in kids, it is a good
thing,” O’Banion said.
Student
is her own swim team
By:
JESSICA SINGLETON
Moving
to a new town is a big change for any teenager. For Owen County
High School junior Evyn White, moving was made more difficult
when she had to leave behind her favorite sport, swimming.
With the help of Owen County High School Principal Shannon Treece,
she went before the Owen County School Board and received permission
to form a one-swimmer team.
Treece said the high school did not have a swim team. As a result,
White was able to compete only at the club level. She said without
a school team, she would not qualify for many events or scholarship
opportunities.
Treece said White is a model student who will represent the school
in a positive way.
“It is nice to go to bat for such a great student,”
she said.
In the presentation to the board, Treece said White was not asking
for any funding, only for permission to compete under the Owen
County High School name.
Not only did the school board grant White‘s request, they
also had a surprise for her. Superintendant Mark Cleveland said
they would cover her entry fees. He believes if the school is
sponsoring an activity, then there needs to be a financial commitment.
“She is representing Owen County Schools, so let’s
put her in a uniform,” Cleveland said.
He said what really convinced him to approve White’s proposal
is her ability to compete at the collegiate level.
The board requires all teams to have a coach. Her father, Greg
White, agreed to take on that role. He volunteered to take the
responsibility of coaching, and is waiving the standard coaching
pay. He said Evyn will compete in the 100-yard butterfly and the
100-yard freestyle events.
“This has given her more drive,” he said. “She
was really happy.”
Greg White said Evyn is very dedicated to the sport and started
swimming at the high school varsity level during the seventh grade.
Evyn White was unavailable for comment at press time.
Local
students attend National Leadership Conference
Youth from
the Owen County High School chapter of Family, Career and Community
Leaders of America (FCCLA) participated in a weekend leadership
conference held Nov. 9-11, in Atlanta, Ga.
Attendees participated in a weekend of trainings and sessions
that challenged, informed, and motivated members and their advisors
to become leaders through FCCLA. Along with more than 3,000 other
members and chapter advisors, Owen County High School’s
FCCLA chapter advisors, Miss Susan Dews and Ms. Kim Webster, accompanied
nine members to the meeting. Those members attending were Katie
Beall, Ella Brumley, Samantha Howard, Elisabeth Huff, Cassidy
Reed, Heather Reed, Laura Seger, Amy Smith, and Brittany Wilson.
The “made: making a difference everywhere,” theme
was reinforced in the Opening General Session by guest speaker,
Dr. Adolph Brown III, who inspired attendees with his motivational
message, “Character Counts and so Do I,” and encouraged
attendees to make the most of their powerful leadership potential.
Saturday’s agenda included training in FCCLA’s peer
education programs such as Community Service, FACTS - Families
Acting for Community Traffic Safety, and Financial Fitness.
Owen County High School representatives did some sightseeing while
in Atlanta, including visiting the CNN Center, the Hard Rock Cafe
and Perimeter Mall. Students and their advisors returned home
excited and full of ideas for Owen County High School’s
FCCLA.
The National Cluster Meetings are designed to allow local students
and teachers to take advantage of high-quality leadership training
opportunities. FCCLA is a national student orgranization that
helps young men and women become leaders and addresses important
personal, family, work, and societal issues through Family and
Consumer Sciences Education. FCCLA has more than 220,000 members
and nearly 7,000 chapters from 50 state associations and the District
of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The organization
has involved more than ten million youth since its founding in
1945.
|
|
