Not a week into the school year, some Henderson County High School students are probably looking back on the summer with nostalgia.
Not because it was a life of ease spent lounging by the pool. But instead because they were challenging themselves at various academic and activity-based programs.
Some, but probably not an exhaustive list of those programs, are the Governor’s Scholars Program, the Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs and the Governor’s School for the Arts.
Students also got involved in Future Farmers of America programs, Skills USA competition, Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, FBLA and FCCLA.
According to Henderson County Schools, six HCHS students participated in the Governor’s Scholar Program. They were Jack Dalton, Abby Hargiss, Lillian Jones, Addison Kirtley, Sydney Siebe and Ava Zigler. Alternates were Addyson Deep, Maddox Golday, Spencer Kellen and Parker Mills.
Dalton attended the program for five weeks at Centre College. In the Governor’s Scholars Program, students spend five weeks on college campuses across the state taking classes, attending clubs and activities, and according to Dalton, learning to be on your own.
“Your productivity is kind of riding on your own shoulders,” he said.
He said in addition to classes, students also spent evenings in leadership programs or listening to different speakers, including professors and business leaders. He said two speakers or note were Dr. Aaron Thompson, the president of the Kentucky Council of Postsecondary Education and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
Dalton also spent a lot of time with fellow students, rising seniors from across the state, building community.
The classes were enriching and engaging, but not necessarily difficult, he said. They did not have homework but worked on projects, he said.
Another program HCHS students attended was the Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs. Those attending GSE were Abigail White, Kaylee Kennedy, Olivia Carr and Olivia Joyce with alternate Marley Staton.
Kennedy was part of a pitch team called Bink that won first place at GSE. She said in the three weeks she was taking part in the program at the University of Kentucky, she was pushed hard and learned that making mistakes was expected.
Bink, her team, pitched a band that toddlers wear around their wrists that can detect health abnormalities, Kennedy said.
Both Kennedy and White said the program involved each team first creating a list of 100 problems, before settling on one the group wanted to work on. Groups were then instructed to come up with 100 solutions before whittling that list down to ten and then down to one, which the group then pitched.
White said the three weeks in the program were “life-changing.”
First of all, she made friendships with students from across the state who were all focused and hard workers.
“I’ve never been put in a rigorous schedule like that before,” she said.
White said some of the aphorisms used at GSE made an impact on her and her mindset. One was “Fail without fear” and another was “It’s OK to pivot.”
White was part of a second-place team that pitched medical IV lines that are made with a glow-in-the dark component to them. She said that there have been some problems when nurses have to switch lines at night in dim or dark rooms, and with the lines that glow in the dark—each with its own color—the correct lines can be switched to corresponding lines, keeping patients safe.
Joyce was also on a second-place team, Souly Sugar, that pitched a product of individual packages of liquid sugar that would be placed on restaurant tables with other sweeteners. She said part of her group’s pitched involved the need for the liquid sweetener because granulated sugar doesn’t dissolve in cold drinks. She said she is a pretty strong public speaker but got much more practice with it at GSE.
Two students attended the Governor’s School for the Arts. They are Hayden Ries and Landon Laine. An alternate was Alyssa Peckenpaugh.
Laine, like other students at other places, called his three weeks on the Northern Kentucky University campus “life-changing.” Another descriptor: “a mind-opening experience.”
The main reason for that, he said, was that everyone around him those three weeks was there for one purpose: art.
“No matter where we came from and no matter what we’ve been through, we all had something in common and that was art,” Laine said.
Laine is an actor and hopes to pursue that passion in the future, perhaps studying it at university, he said.
At GSA, he had a three-week crash course in putting a production together. He said each day began with 9 a.m. classes and those classes some days didn’t end till 10 p.m. At the end of three weeks, the theater students put on a performance, which contained short snippets that were created by students and mixed with scenes from Shakespeare’s plays, Laine said.
Additionally, Laine said artists and musicians who have made it in the business spoke to students during the program. One was jazz pianist Harry Pickens.
“That gives you a little more faith about making a living with art,” Laine said.
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The Governor’s Schools were not the only programs that HCHS students participated in during the summer. Here’s a list supplied by school officials of some of the other programs and activities students took part in.
- Skills USA attended the National Skills USA competition in Atlanta. Carter Siewert and Eli Schmidt won sixth place in Interactive Application and Video Game Development.
Others participants were:
Computer Programming: Cash Chandler
3D Visualization & Animation: Lars Galante and Akwin Rivera
Internetworking: Brady Galloway
Technical Computer Application: Sawyer Wolf
Quiz Bowl: Brett Haley, Zoe Mills, Ava Zigler, Deacon Kitchens, Lily Jones, Sydney Siebe
Photography: Nate Gold
CNC 3-Axis Programming: Wyatt Holland
Promotional Bulletin Board: Hayden Ries, Parker King, Astaria Thompson
Video Production: Addie Khare, Nazaria Mason
- Three students and one advisor went to the FCCLA Leadership Regional Officer training May 27-29 at FFA camp in Hardinsburg. Students are Ella Shelley, Analyn Phelps and Makayla DeTalente. The advisor is Beverly Davis.
- Six JROTC cadets participated in the IRT Color Guard, and six cadets participated in the Henderson County Memorial Day ceremony, conducting the wreath laying and flag detail with the American Legion. The students who participated at IRT are Cadet Cabby Joseph, Cadet Evelynn Valentine, Cadet Jackson Bender, Cadet Kayleigh Taft, Cadet Bayley Pressley and Cadet Levi Williams. The students who participated in the Memorial Day ceremony are Cadet Landon Laine, Cadet Austin Hurst, Cadet Jackson Bender, Cadet Kayleigh Taft and Cadet Evelynn Valentine.
- Nine FBLA students attended FBLA Leadership Camp May 31-June 4. Three officers volunteered for Handy Fest Refreshment booths June 17-20, and three members competed at Nationals in San Antonio June 27-July 3. Leadership camp attendees are Reagan Hatfield, Abigail Vaughn, Anya Patel, Hadley Ranes, Reagan Potts, Caleb Fish, Coriann Foster, Aubrey Thomas and Marley Staton. Students who worked the Handy booths are Abigail Vaughn, Marley Staton and Reagan Potts. Those who competed at nationals are Reagan Hatfield, Abigail Vaughn and Anya Patel.
- Ten students traveled to the state FFA Convention in early June. HCHS teams placed 5th for Ag Sales in the State, and the HCHS Ag Communications team placed 6th in the State. The HCHS student in Agriscience placed 3rd with his SAE Proficiency. And the HCHS student in Social Science Div 5 for the Agriscience Fair placed 2nd in the State. Students are Austin Thomas, Jama Cabell, Kate Bailey, Annaleigh Richard, Bailey Moore, Madilyn Libbert, Libby Townsend, Paige Bennett, Carter O’Nan and James Wynne.
- Fifteen students attended the Kentucky FFA Martin Gatton Leadership Training Center for instruction on becoming a better leader for their community and chapter. Those students are Riley Basket, Addie Moore, Luke Couch, Annamay Kellen, Addi Leslie, Paige Bennett, Alyssa Wilhelm, Brystall Bennett-Nelson, Ellen Chaney, Alyssa Woodard, Ellie Reif, Madilyn Libbert, Jama Cabell, Carter O’Nan and Kate Bailey.
- Two students attended the Washington Leadership Conference, in which FFA members from across the United States travel to Washington, D.C. FFA members are engaged in leadership activities promoting self-purpose, taking action and serving others. Those students are Riley Basket and Brystall Bennet-Nelson.
- Two FFA students assisted with the Civil War Veteran Tombstone Rededication event with the Public Library. They are Alyssa Wilhelm and Brystall Bennet-Nelson.
- Four FFA students volunteered to help with the WC Handy Festival. They are Annamay Kellen, Ellie Reif, Luke Couch and Addie Moore.
- Several students are currently exhibited livestock at the Henderson County Fair in various species. They are Paige Bennett, Luke Couch, Addie Moore, Jama Cabell, Madilyn Libbert, Riley Basket and Brystall Bennet-Nelson.
- Thirteen Students assisted with the Henderson County Fair set up and prep. They are Riley Basket, Addie Moore, Luke Couch, Annamay Kellen, Addi Leslie, Paige Bennett, Alyssa Wilhelm, Brystall Bennett-Nelson, Ellen Chaney, Ellie Reif, Madilyn Libbert, Jama Cabell and Carter O’Nan.
- Three students have been assisting New Hope Animal Shelter this summer. They are Alyssa Woodard, Addie Moore and Addi Leslie.
- Gatton School attendees are Brady Francke and Alexis Francke.
