| 12/12/06
Academy of Mathematics and
Science in Kentucky at WKU
The Academy of Mathematics and
Science in Kentucky will open at Western Kentucky University in
fall 2007. It is a residential program for 60 high school juniors
and 60 high school seniors from Kentucky who have demonstrated
interest in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering
and mathematics.
The goal is to enable Kentucky’s
exceptional young scientists and mathematicians to learn in an
environment which offers advanced educational opportunities,
preparing them for leadership roles in Kentucky. Instead of
spending their junior and senior years in traditional high
schools, the students will live in the renovated Schneider Hall
and take courses offered by WKU. At the end of two years, they
will be high school graduates and will have earned at least 60
college credit hours.
Visit the Academy
web site for more
information.
8/1/06
"Team Kentucky” to Panasonic;
High School Champs to NAQT
Traditionally, the High School
Governor’s Cup State Finals champion Quick Recall team has
represented Kentucky at the Panasonic Academic Challenge, held
each June at Disney World in Orlando.
At its July meeting, the KAAC
Board voted to join a growing trend in other states and present an
All-Star team for Panasonic, one which will be known as “Team
Kentucky.”
The State champion Quick Recall
team will now attend the National Academic Quiz Tournaments (NAQT)
High School National Championship Tournament in Chicago.
“The Panasonic format is markedly
different from Governor’s Cup Quick Recall,” KAAC Executive
Director John Bennett said. “Because of that, success in
Governor’s Cup is not always a good predictor of success at
Panasonic. The NAQT format is a much closer fit for our state
champion team.”
“Panasonic is one of only a few
national events that allows an All-Star team”, Bennett said.
“Others, including NAQT and the team component of Future Problem
Solving International Conference, require that team members all be
enrolled at the same school.”
“Most states that are competitive
year in and year out at Panasonic field All-Star teams. I think
it’s one of those things that you try to do if you can, in the
hope that the end result will be some positive recognition for the
amazing things our Governor’s Cup participants can do
academically.”
KAAC will be begin accepting
coach nominations for Team Kentucky at the KAAC Conference. After
a coach is chosen, procedures for selecting team members will be
announced.
7/1/06
Kentucky FPS Dominates FPSP
International Conference
On June 1, fifteen schools
representing the Commonwealth of Kentucky and Kentucky FPS
descended upon Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, CO.
Though we were hard to miss in our blue shirts, our students
wanted to make sure that we left an impression other than just the
size of our delegation. These students were making history for
our program the entire way. For the first time ever KYFPS had
Community Problem Solving teams represented in every division of
the competition, including two teams in the Senior Division.
To keep the tradition going
and not letting down our champions from 2006, we retained the
International Championship in the Senior Division booklet event.
That wasn’t enough for these problem solvers. They wanted to add
to that and they definitely did. Congratulations to all of our
students, coaches and parents on their successes at the
International Conference! Make preparations now for the 2006-2007
competition year so your students can join the traditions of KYFPS
at IC. Results:
· Team Booklet: Porter
Elementary, Paintsville – International Champion, Junior Division;
Madisonville North Hopkins HS, Madisonville – International
Champion, Senior Division
· On-Site Scenario Writing: W.
Tucker, Holy Name Grade School – 3rd Place Junior Division; N.
Johnson, Johnson County MS – International Champion, Middle
Division; B. Picklesimer, Russell Ind. HS – International
Champion, Senior Division
· Community Problem Solving
(CmPS): Turner Intermediate, Monticello – International Grand
Champion, Junior Division; Corbin Middle School, Corbin – 3rd
Place, Education, Middle Division; Estill County HS, Irvine – 3rd
Place, Civic & Cultural, Senior Division
· Middle Division Alternates: J.
Coleman, Johns Creek School – 2nd Place
· Adult Competition: Susie Alvey,
Owensboro Catholic – International Champion; Jennifer Burke, Sts.
Peter & Paul – 4th Place
7/1/04
Blevins, Campbell and Crowe
Join KAAC Board
In June three new members were
installed to serve four-year terms on the KAAC Board of
Directors. They were:
- Ellen Blevins from Barren
County High School, appointed by the Kentucky Education
Association
- Jeannette Campbell from
Daviess County’s College View Middle School, elected by
her peers in the West Central Section
- Doug Crowe from the
Kentucky Department of Education in Frankfort, appointed
by KDE
Congratulations to these three
Board members!
11/5/03
KAAC Hall of Fame Member Trey
Grayson Elected Secretary of State
Trey Grayson, one of the inaugural
members of the KAAC Hall of Fame for participants, was elected Kentucky
Secretary of State on Tuesday November 4 after defeating
challenger Russ Maple 52% to 48%. 
A product of the Kenton County
public school system, Trey graduated with honors from Harvard
College (A.B., Government, 1994) and from the University of
Kentucky (J.D./M.B.A. 1998) where he was one of the first two Bert
Combs Scholars, the College of Law’s top scholarship, and was
inducted into the Order of the Coif upon graduation. While at UK,
Trey served as Magister (President) of the legal fraternity, Phi
Delta Phi, and was a member of the Kentucky Law Journal.
He is recognized as one of the top
young leaders in Kentucky and was named one of forty-four
“Kentucky Leaders for the New Century” by the Kentucky Press
Association and the Shakertown Roundtable. He serves on the boards
of a number of statewide organizations including the Kentucky
Governor's Scholars Program, the Commonwealth Fund for KET, and
the Kentucky Advocates for Higher Education.
Trey was one of the five members of
the inaugural KAAC Hall of Fame participant class of 2000. He credits
his Governor's Cup experience at Dixie Heights High School in
Kenton County with developing lifelong friendships,
becoming better acquainted with different regions of Kentucky, and
making him more disciplined in the classroom. Trey says that
"this discipline and extra knowledge helped me to gain admission to Harvard. I firmly believe that I would not have been admitted had I not participated in Governors Cup."
06/8/03
Kentucky Future Problem Solving
Teams Shine at International Competition
Last week in
Hartford CT, one of the largest Kentucky contingents ever to
attend the Future Problem Solving International Conference put on
a remarkable display of brainpower, resulting in eight awards. On
hand were 60 students representing 13 Kentucky schools.
Team Future Problem Solving
In the FPS event that is part of Governor's Cup, Kentucky had a
top ten placing school in all three grade levels, and every
participating Kentucky team finished in the top half of their
division. The
International Conference topic was Worldwide Communication.
Porter Elementary, coached by Carolyn Hale, finished in third
place. Another Johnson County team, Johnson County Middle School,
finished as International Runner-Up. Pam Burton is the Johnson
County coach. In the High School Division, the Governor's Cup
champion squad from North Laurel High School finished seventh.
Community
Problem Solving (CmPS)
Kentucky's performance in CmPS was nothing short of
remarkable, as both Kentucky teams took home the first place
trophy in their respective categories. This performance was even
more astounding given that Kentucky had no CmPS teams last year.
Henry County
Middle School, coached by Ruthie Smith, finished first in the
Health Concerns category, and also became the first Kentucky team to ever win the
prestigious E. Paul Torrance "Beyonder" Award, given to
the project that the judges deem to have the potential for the most
long-lasting impact. This
award is given to a person or a group that ‘‘outdistances
the others so far that they are not even on the scale and can’t
be judged on the same scale as the depth and passion of their work
cannot be assessed by standard criteria. These are the difference
makers, the ultra-achievers of our society, those whose
accomplishments go beyond all expectations,’’ wrote E.
Paul Torrance, in describing this award.
The Henry County "Curves and Swerves" CmPS project dealt with a
dangerous stretch of KY 146. The team gathered accident and
fatality data and presented their information to the Kentucky
Department of Transportation. As a result of the students'
efforts,$770,000 has been allocated to straighten out a
three-quarter mile stretch of the road in
the near future.
A combined
Green County High School/Middle School team also took first in its
CmPS category, Civic and Cultural Concerns. The BRIDGES (Building
Renewed Interest in Downtown Greensburg through Excellence in
Service) CmPS team is coached by Brenda Hall. Their project
showcased the town of Greensburg through obtaining grants for
downtown revitalization, hosting historical walking tours, and a
variety of other activities.
Margaret "Maggie"
Gulley, from Fleming County High School, placed second in the High
School On-Site Scenario Writing competition. Keri Borden,
Johnson Central High School, was awarded 3rd place for the
Middle Division On-Site Scenario competition. Maggie is
coached by Kathy Sorrell and Keri is coached by Pam Burton.
In Adult Future
Problem Solving, Susan Magedanz from Fayette County's P.L. Dunbar
High School was on the IC Championship team. Brenda Darnell and
Kirk Barnett, Russell High School coaches, were on the third place
team.
Unlike
Governor's Cup, teams at the International Conference also give a
live presentation of their FPS Action Plan to the judges. Porter
Elementary and Russell High School were both finalists in this
event.
Other Kentucky
FPSP International participants were:
Team Future Problem Solving: Paintsville Elementary, Paintsville
Middle School
On-Site Scenario Writing: John Compton, Paintsville High School
Individual Future Problem Solving: Justin Burke, Lexington
Catholic High School; Hao Wang, P.L. Dunbar High School
Check out the FPS IC
Photo Gallery!
05/11/03
Smith, Williams Assume Board
Leadership Positions
As provided in the KAAC Constitution, KAAC Board of
Directors leadership positions were filled at the May 9 KAAC Board
meeting.
Ruthie Smith from Henry County
Schools was elected President-Elect and will take office July 1,
2004. Gretchen Williams, from Noe Middle School in Jefferson
County, will serve as Vice-President and chair the Competition
Committee.
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