Centre News

President John A. Roush and leaders from local school districts
participated in a community conversation last week about
public education.

Last week, Centre President John A. Roush and leaders from local school districts participated in a community conversation about a shared topic of interest — public education.

The discussion, “Good Public Schools Are the Foundation of the American Dream,” included representatives from Centre, Heart of Kentucky United Way (HKUW) and local Chambers of Commerce, along with school district leaders from Boyle, Garrard, Lincoln and Mercer counties. The group met to discuss critical impact strategies to mobilize local communities to improve education, health and financial stability.

Facilitated by Ben Nelson, a consultant for HKUW, and Roush, the meeting’s goal was to promote collaboration among community members to engage the community and find solutions to common challenges.

“Wednesday’s conversation participants collectively underscored the need for supportive communities, effective schools and strong families working together,” says Roush. “We should look at a child’s needs as a whole person, not just as a student — using strategies and approaches rooted in research.

“Preparing our children for successful lives starts in early childhood and continues into early adulthood,” he continues. “A single positive mentor and role model can make a huge difference in a child’s life. Tackling the education challenges in our communities may require some fundamental change and reframing education on a birth to 21 continuum.”

Janie Pass, HKUW executive director, says these conversations help shed light on complex social issues and this is only the beginning of this kind of community collaboration.

“We have an incredibly caring group of educators who wouldn’t be in this profession otherwise,” she says. “That’s why in the months ahead we will be reaching out to hold additional conversations with other education experts from the four counties Heart of Kentucky United Way serves. Additionally, we will be hosting conversations with area experts on the health and financial stability challenges we are facing together in our local communities.”

This initial community meeting is part of a larger set of conversations occurring across the HKUW service area. The discussions will help HKUW assess local community needs in education, health and financial stability, and bring together stakeholders to find long-term solutions to these challenges.

To find out more about Heart of Kentucky United Way, visit www.hkuw.org.

Have comments, suggestions, or story ideas? E-mail elizabeth.trollinger@centre.edu with your feedback.

Centre College, founded in 1819 and chosen to host its second Vice Presidential Debate in 2012, is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges, at 42nd in the nation, and ranks 27th for best value among national liberal arts colleges. Forbes magazine ranks Centre 34th among all the nation’s colleges and universities and has named Centre in the top five among all institutions of higher education in the South for three years in a row. The 2010 Open Doors Report, published by the Institute for International Education, ranks the College second in the nation for percentage of students who study abroad. For more, click here.