Fletcher outlines his goals to improve education: Lawmakers asked to advance plans

HCTC to offer evening nursing program

Badgett's legacy of generosity

Area Professionals, Students Meet to Discuss Careers

Futurist speaks at conference

Fletcher outlines his goals to improve education: Lawmakers asked to advance plans

Speaking to the General Assembly's interim joint Education Committee, Fletcher said he wanted to improve early education programs and youth health screenings and establish a student tracking system to monitor year-by-year trends in their educational development.

Improving teachers' pay and broadening their education so that teachers have a deeper knowledge of the subjects they teach also were priorities, Fletcher said.

"It's not a plan that's etched in stone," Fletcher said. "It's a work in progress."

Fletcher first presented a preview of his education plan late this summer and solicited input from educators across the state. He told lawmakers he was open to suggestions but wanted to continue building on the 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act.

The governor said he wanted to focus on mathematics and reading and invest money in programs that could "maximize student achievement" and better prepare them for college. He also wanted more investment in preschool and kindergarten programs, Fletcher said.

Fletcher said he wanted Kentucky to become a national leader in classroom technology. Lifelong learning and training programs also need to be increased, he said.

With elections out of the way and none scheduled for next year, Fletcher invited lawmakers to work together on improving Kentucky's education system.

"I would invite you to join me in a team effort," Fletcher said.

Still, he acknowledged the state needed more money to carry out elements of the plan.

Fletcher has advocated a "revenue-neutral" overhaul of the state's tax code that would increase some taxes and lower others. Fletcher said yesterday that closing some tax loopholes would increase revenue without raising overall taxes.

However, there were some things — such as early reading programs — that did not immediately require substantial state funding, Fletcher said.

"We all know the revenue concerns and the challenges we have," Fletcher said. "But it's also important to realize that there are things we can do with the money that we have to increase our efficiency, ensuring that we improve the education that we're providing for our children."

Sen. Gerald Neal, D-Louisville, said Kentucky could not wait for its economy to improve. Neal said two options for lawmakers to consider are expanded gambling and an increase in the state's tax on cigarettes.

Expanded gambling could bring in about $400million per year, Neal said.

"We're in a tough situation. Many states are in a tough situation," Neal said. "But the question's going to be, `Are we tough enough to stand up for Kentucky and do what's right by the people of Kentucky?'"

Fletcher said he would not push expanded gambling. However, he would not block it either, he said.

"If the General Assembly desires to do that, I'm not going to stand in the way and obstruct it," Fletcher said. "I would work to make sure it's fair and equitable for everyone."

Kentucky Education Association President Frances Steenbergen said the KEA, which represents teachers and school employees, agreed with some of Fletcher's ideas. Kentucky needed to work on increasing teacher salaries and overall funding for education, she said.

"We think education is the driving force of the economy in Kentucky, and we are anxious to get to the details of the vision," Steenbergen said.

Hazard Herald
November 3, 2004

HCTC to offer evening nursing program

Hazard Community and Technical College has been awarded a grant to teach registered nursing classes in the evenings, which is opening doors for many who have day-time jobs but want to change careers.

Classes will begin in January and will be taught by members of the nursing faculty at HCTC as well as adjunct faculty members. Students accepted into the Evening Nursing Program will be able to complete their degree in four semesters. The evening classes will contain the same curriculum as the day-time classes.

The program is being funded through a grant from Career Pathways Grant from the Kentucky and Community College System. Julia B. Mitchell, vice president for Resource and Community Development, wrote the grant. “This is the first time we have been able to offer such a program in the evenings and I’m pleased about all the doors this program will open to our people,” Mrs. Mitchell said.

Those interested in applying for the program should attend one of two upcoming pre-admission conferences. A Monday, Nov. 8 pre-admission conference set for 6 p.m. and a Wednesday, Nov. 10 pre-admission conference will be held, also at 6 p.m. Both will be held in room 218 of the UK Center for Rural Health Bailey-Stumbo building on Morton Boulevard in Hazard.

The conference is only for those interested in the evening program. “Even if someone has attended a prior pre-admission conference, they should still attend this meeting because it will be geared toward the night-time program,” noted Sue Riddle, Evening RN Program Coordinator. For more information, call Sue Riddle at 487-3387.

The Madisonville Messenger
November 6, 2004

Badgett's legacy of generosity
-- Editorial

Thursday was “Brown Badgett Sr. Appreciation Day” in Madisonville. In reality, the community and commonwealth have been appreciating this dedicated and generous individual and his wife Heidi for many years.

Our appreciation of him will go on for years to come, in part because his name is affixed to two athletic complexes, a regional education cooperative and scholarships for students at both county high schools.

Beyond the facilities named in his honor, generations to come will remember him as a man who loved his community and acted on an intense desire to give back to it.

His most recent gift toward improving the quality of life in our town came on Thursday, when it was announced that he had donated $1.2 million to Madisonville Community College. As a result, the planned Energy and Advanced Technology Center, when it is built, will bear his name. The $14 million project is locked in the Frankfort budget battles that sent lawmakers home without adopting a fiscal plan for the state. State Sen. Jerry Rhoads (who is also MCC President Dr. Judith Rhoads’ husband) and state Rep. Eddie Ballard were on hand for the announcement. So was Gov. Ernie Fletcher, on the other side of the political fence and the debate over state funding.

Not under debate, however, is Badgett’s long commitment to education and the young people of our community.

Most visible are the two outstanding athletic complexes at Madisonville-North Hopkins and Hopkins County Central high schools, which stand today because of the $2.6 million Badgett donated for their construction. These two state-of-the-art complexes are equipped with weight rooms, multipurpose rooms, locker rooms and stadium seating, designed to enhance both player and spectator safety.

His commitment to education resulted, in 1992, with development of the Badgett Regional Cooperative for Educational Enhancement. The facility is equipped for worldwide communication that provides the freedom and resources for educators to grow professionally without leaving the community. The Badgett Center serves 11 school districts and frequently hosts regional and state meetings.

Helping educate and return the best and brightest in our schools is another of Badgett’s passions. Each year since 1990, the Badgett Foundation has recognized 10 Hopkins County high school graduates with renewable four-year scholarships. Since 1990, the foundation has awarded over $60,000 in scholarships to deserving students. The college graduation rate for these students is over 90 percent, with many of them returning to Hopkins County in a variety of professions.

At MCC, he provided one of the two lead gifts to the Joe C. Davis Science Building and helped solicit several other major gifts. He also contributed private funds to MCC’s Muhlenberg County campus and the Community Improvement Foundation. He is also a major supporter of the college’s scholarship program.

The extent of his financial generosity is much longer than what we have or can list here. The sheer dollar amount is impressive, but so is the man who chooses to invest in making this an even better place to live.

He truly believes in the place we call home, and in the future of those who look to our educational system to prepare them. An avid sports fan, he is a fixture at University of Kentucky basketball games. Though obviously a man of considerable wealth, he doesn’t take himself all that seriously ... as evidenced by a recent photo we published of him wearing a (Kentucky) blue wig.

His devotion to sports and education were what drew the likes of UK coach Orlando “Tubby” Smith and former UK coach Joe B. Hall to Thursday’s Badgett tribute. And besides that, they’re lie-swapping fishing buddies.

While tributes were being paid to Badgett Thursday, he quietly and modestly accepted the accolades. He also took the opportunity to place his thumb on the fish-weighing scale in banter with Smith and Hall.

What impresses us about Brown Badgett Sr. is not just his generosity, but also his commitment to our community. Clearly the community has been good to and for him in a financial way. He has chosen to, literally, give back to the community.

The stadiums and educational facilities are more than tributes to his legacy of generosity. They offer a means for others to grow and prosper in our community so they, too, can give back.

Like the many who took the stage Thursday to pay tribute to Brown Badgett Sr., may we also say thank you to this generous man who chose to give back, not only because he could, but also because he wanted to.

Maysville Ledger-Independent
November 6, 2004

Area Professionals, Students Meet to Discuss Careers

Aim high and score was the message of a minority career planning forum at Maysville Community and Technical College Friday.

More than 100 students from high schools in Mason, Fleming and Pendleton counties attended the forum that brought leaders from more than a dozen industries out to inform and motivate.

Most of the presenters were minorities, providing a living example of what can be achieved if you put your mind to it.

Success starts with a dream, the students were told. The dream is reached through commitment, desire, attitude and a willingness to work hard for what you want.

'If you can see it, you can believe it,' Emerson Power Transmission Human Resource Manager Harriett Jackson told students.

Goody's Manager Edward Davis told students they must begin with a strong foundation and by knowing their own minds. Figuring out what you are interested in and what you want in life, is the biggest part of the battle, Davis said.

'What are the five things you value most in your life? Can you name the most important goal in your life in 30 seconds? What would you do if you won $1 million? What type of activity or circumstance gives you the greatest feeling of importance? What one great thing would you dare to dream if you could not fail? Why are some people more successful than others?' Davis asked.

Answering those questions is important, but the main thing is attitude, attitude, attitude, most presenters preached.

According to a Cox Report in the mid 1990s, Fortune 500 CEOs attributed their success to attitude, Davis said.

'If your ambition is what party is going on next week, your vision is too small,' Sha-Reese Cunningham of FKI Logistex said.

'Confidence and personality is primarily what I'd like to see in an applicant,' Cunningham said.

There was a consensus between presenters that first impressions matter -- a lot. Making eye contact, a good, firm handshake, showing a keen interest in the job and dressing for success are the most important things when it comes to interviews.

If your first impression is negative, you won't have the opportunity to make a second impression, Temple-Inland manager Larry Schlomer said.

Curiosity and personality are also large parts of the process, Jackson said.

'Involvement and participation are important. We want to know what you're thinking,' Jackson said. 'No man is an island. We want to know how you'll function as a team. Remember you are interviewing the company too.'

Though your past is not everything, the more you do to make yourself look good to colleges and prospective employers the better, DP&L's Harry Lewis told the kids.

'Dress nicely. Ask questions. Present yourself in a professional manner. Show you want the job, they want to see that,' Lewis said.

Forget about the current fashion when it comes to your professional life, Lewis advised.

'You've got to do what you've got to do. There's a time and a place for that (fashion). Right or wrong, fair or not, that's the way it is,' Lewis said.

The bottom line? Dream big and keep your eye on the goal and don't let anything deter you from your dreams.

'Be careful with who you associate with. You have dream snatchers out there,' Cunningham said.

'The choices you make now are going to affect the rest of your life. You have to promote yourself, and you have to be interested,' DP&L supervisor Robert Burns said.

The forum was sponsored by DP&L, Temple-Inland, Mitsubishi Electric Automotive, Northeastern HEC/HETC, NAACP, Maysville Community and Technical College and TENCO One-Stop Career Center as well as Maysville-Mason County Area Chamber of Commerce.

Futurist speaks at conference

Economic development people will have to find ways to develop highly trained and motivated workers, and do it with less and less government help, said Ed Barlow, president of Creating the Future Inc. "Otherwise, you might as well close down your industrial parks and use the land for something else."

Barlow calls himself a futurist and specializes in trend-spotting and strategic planning.

In a special session following a presentation to educators at the annual Teaching-Learning Conference Thursday and Friday, Barlow met with economic and workforce development professionals to talk about creating a competitive economic environment.

Companies won't locate where they can't find good workers, and communities can't depend on existing plants to remain open if the labor supply falters, Barlow said.

While Kentucky today is the second-largest auto-producing state, that status could slip overnight without an emphasis on mechatronics, a combination of mechanical and electronic engineering, he said.

Employers also will have to emphasize a work force adept at project-based work, which will require more skills, he said. Both require educating workers, he said.

In fact, the work force is the chief factor in a region's economy, he said. The common perception that low business costs will drive economic development is wrong. Rather, quantity and quality of labor make the difference in where a business locates. "The final determinant is whether the workforce is there now," he said.

Building the workforce requires the commitment from elementary school on up to educate children, retrain displaced workers for new jobs, and attract other highly-skilled workers to the community, he said.

The educational emphasis can't wait for high school or the post-secondary level: A company he consulted for chose its location based on the math and science curriculum at the community's middle-school level, Barlow said.

The Teaching-Learning Conference, in its 12th year, drew more than 600 teachers and educational professionals from 12 states, said John McGlone, a spokesman for Ashland Community and Technical College, which sponsors the conference.

This year's conference was expanded to address the entire educational spectrum from pre-school through college and drew more nationally-known speakers, he said.

"We're having a very good conference, and the feedback from participants is that the sessions were very meaningful," said ACTC President Greg Adkins.