Carr Principal REASP winner

West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) of Paducah hosted its Seventh Annual Regional Educators Awards and Scholarship Program, where more than 125 area educators, administrators, and staff were celebrated during a red-carpet event. The ceremony, held on March 28, drew more than 400 educators, family members, friends, and students who cheered for the honorees.

Faculty, administrators, and staff from throughout the Jackson Purchase area and southern Illinois were nominated for awards in five categories. These awards recognized distinguished faculty for grades pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, distinguished faculty for grades sixth through 12th grade, distinguished administrators, and two awards named for Cornelia Reece, a retired educator with over 27 years of experience and the wife of WKCTC President Anton Reece.

Among the award winners was Dr. Jean Little, Fulton Independent School District’s Carr Elementary Principal, named Distinguished Administrator.

“I am honored to receive this award and represent Fulton Independent School as a regional winner. Honestly, it takes a team to accomplish the growth and program success we’ve had at Carr Elementary over the last three years, so it should be the Carr Elementary team receiving this award. I am really more of a behind the scenes leader. They make me look good,” Dr. Little said.

“I am so very appreciative and honored to be recognized as the WKCTC Distinguished Administrator. I do want to thank the teachers, staff, students and families of Fulton for allowing me and trusting me to be their Carr Elementary Principal,” she added.

Other award winners included Kate Lambert, Clark Elementary School teacher - Distinguished Faculty Award (PreK-5th grade); Kelly Locker, South Marshall Middle School teacher - Distinguished Faculty Award (6th - 12th grade); Marcie Leonard, Graves County High School Counselor - Cornelia Reece Unsung Hero Administrative Staff Award; and Kanda Boyd, South Livingston Elementary School kitchen manager and child nutrition program assistant - Cornelia Reece Unsung Hero Support Staff Award.

Established in 2017 by Dr. Reece, the awards and scholarship program celebrates educators, administrators, and staff members who work tirelessly to prepare the next generation of education leaders. The annual ceremony honors the vital role educators play daily on behalf of students, parents, and the community in WKCTC’s service region, which includes Ballard, Calloway, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Marshall, McCracken, Livingston, and Lyon counties in Kentucky, and Alexander, Hardin, Massac, Pope, and Pulaski counties in Illinois.

Last fall, WKCTC called for nominations for educators, administrators, and support staff from across the region. More than 200 faculty, staff, and administrators received nominations submitted by area students, parents, community members, and colleagues. Some honorees received several nominations.

Each nominee was then asked to submit an application. This year’s program recognized more than half of the nominees who completed the application process. The applications underwent a thorough review by a panel of judges who used a detailed rubric to determine two finalists and a winner in each of the five award categories.

The keynote speaker was Donna G. Newsome Hawkins, pastor of Paducah’s Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, and a retired educator with over thirty years of experience. Before the ceremony began, event volunteers gave everyone in the audience a penny provided by Pastor Hawkins. As she referenced the penny to the educators, Pastor Hawkins asked that they keep it close. “I gave you this penny so it will remind you that you are the “one sent” to make a difference in the lives of our students.”

In conjunction with the awards program, a scholarship for WKCTC students interested in K-12 teaching or educational support majors was established to encourage and assist the region’s future educators. Proceeds from sponsorships of the event will go directly to the Future Educators Scholarship fund.

Finalists in each category, in addition to the winner announced, were:

Distinguished Faculty Award (PreK-5th grade), Lindsay Koebbe, Murray Middle School fourth-grade teacher; Cody Lane, Symsonia Elementary School fifth-grade social studies teacher

Distinguished Faculty Award (6th - 12th grades), Clay Burgess, Lone Oak Middle School orchestra director; Kim Roberts, Graves County High School social studies department chair and teacher

Distinguished Administrator Award, Shonda Hollowell Burrus, Paducah Public Schools chief equity officer; Kendra Glenn, Calvert City Elementary School principal

Cornelia Reece Unsung Hero Administrative Staff Award, Kelli Bowland, Lone Oak Intermediate School, counselor; Brandi Rogers, Reidland Elementary School family resource coordinator

Cornelia Reece Unsung Hero Support Staff Award, Lori Kauffman, Clark Elementary School finance secretary; Trish Pickett, Murray Head Start data services specialist

Dr. Reece also recognized individuals through his President’s Awards, including Casey Henderson, Superintendent Carlisle County Schools; Linette Hamilton, retired McCracken County School teacher; Shirley Massie, retired Paducah Public Schools educator; and Rhonda Wicker, gifted and talented teacher for Calloway County Schools, who was recently named the 2023-2024 Challenger Learning Center Outstanding Educator.

Dr. Reece expressed his gratitude to WKCTC Education Coordinator Patricia Blaine, who is retiring in May after more than 35 years with the college. Blaine has been instrumental in shaping and nurturing future leaders, serving on the Regional Educators Awards and Scholarship Program committee since its inception and consistently volunteering for the annual award ceremonies.