FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: Terri
Giltner, 502/564-8007
September 16, 2002
Jill Midkiff, 502/564-4240
Office of the Governor
SHELBYVILLE,
Ky.—
Governor Paul E. Patton today joined Shelby County High School (SCHS) students
for an education pep rally to celebrate the $37 million in Kentucky Educational
Excellence Scholarship (KEES) awards that were earned by 114,182 Kentucky
students during the 2001/2002 school year.
Shelby
County High School set the stage for the rally with an “education pays”
cheer and music played by the school band.
Governor Patton and his “education team” were led into the gymnasium
by the SCHS cheerleaders through a human tunnel formed by the SCHS Rockets
football team.
Speaking
to a crowd of 1,600 students, faculty and administrators, Governor Patton touted
the benefits of the KEES program and higher education for all Kentucky students.
“You are the future of Kentucky and the people of Kentucky are willing to make
an investment in your future with the KEES program,” said Governor Patton.
“But you future is ultimately in your hands.
I encourage each of you to begin planing now for the career of your
dreams.”
Governor
Patton also announced the first Jeff Green Scholars, a distinction saved for
students who have maintained a 4.0 GPA all four years of high school and scored
a minimum of a 28 on their ACT. More than 600 of the 2001/2002 graduating
Kentucky high school seniors achieved this status.
Following
the announcement of the KEES awards and Jeff Green Scholars, Governor Patton
proclaimed September 16, 2002 “Nappy Roots Day” in Kentucky. The governor
presented proclamations and Kentucky Colonels to the six members of the popular
rap group “Nappy Roots,” five of whom studied at Western Kentucky University
in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The group performed music from their major-label
debut album “Watermelon,
Chicken and Gritz.”
Governor
Patton and the 1998 General Assembly passed legislation to fund the KEES
merit-based program using net lottery proceeds. The program was introduced into
Kentucky high schools during the 1998-99 school year. Since that time, $67.7
million in scholarship awards have been made to 94,454 college-bound high school
students. A county-by-county and school-by-school breakdown of KEES scholarship
awards is available on KHEAA’s Web site at http://www.kheaa.com/serv_prky.html.
Under
the KEES program, high school students earn awards for each school year in which
their grade point average is 2.5 of higher. Students can also earn a bonus award
if they score 15 or higher on the ACT. The total of their annual awards plus
their bonus award may be applied each year to college expenses at an eligible
Kentucky post-secondary institution. The maximum annual award for which this
year’ high school seniors may qualify is $2,500, which equates to a total
benefit of $10,000.
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