Dozens of students represented Fayette County Public Schools well at the annual Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Region 4 conference, hosted by Northern Kentucky University. The following earned competitive honors on March 9:

Bryan Station High School

• 1^st in Accounting II: Preston Brooks
• 1^st in Computer Problem-Solving: Drake Witt
• 2^nd in Client Services: Dion Copeland

Paul Laurence Dunbar High School

• 1^st in Entrepreneurship: Linda Zhang and Jasmine Liu
• 1^st in Global Business: Thomas Huang and Yoon Cho
• 1^st in Marketing: Amy Wang, Emily Liu, and David Ma
• 1^st in Networking Concepts: Kelly Chen
• 1^st in Public Service Announcement: Rohan Palla
• 1^st in Website Design: Erin Markel
• 2^nd in Business Communications: Julia Radhakrishnan
• 2^nd in Computer Problem-Solving: Eric Cao
• 2^nd in Health-Care Administration: Krista Manche
• 2^nd in Introduction to Business Communications: Divya Sunderam
• 2^nd in Management Decision-Making: Theo Livas, Ben Xie, and Adil Yusuf
• 2^nd in Sales Presentation: Arya Shoa
• 3^rd in Agribusiness: Vaaragie Subramaniam
• 3^rd in Economics: Amit Lohe
• 3^rd in Hospitality Management: Rehan Ghanta, Nick Imam, and Sai Naidu
• 3^rd in Introduction to Information Technology: Luke Porter
• 3^rd in Sports and Entertainment Management: Megan Guan and Brandon Burford

Tates Creek High School

• 1^st in Health-Care Administration: Mohammad O. Shalash
• 1^st in Management Decision-Making: Nolan Adams and Karam Isa
• 2^nd in Bank and Financial Systems: Aamer Shalash and Mohammad M. Shalash
• 2^nd in Global Business: Muna Shakhashiro and Shanze Arshad
• 2^nd in Sports and Entertainment Management: Mohammad Ahmad and Robby Drakeford

Future Business Leaders of America develops leadership, communication and team skills, and enables members to network at the local, state and national level. The 2016 state conference is set for April 18-20 at the Galt House in Louisville, and the national conference is June 29 through July 2 in Atlanta. 

Meadowthorpe Elementary was the overall winner in Region 22 of the 2016 Governor’s Cup, which concluded March 12. Rosa Parks Elementary was runner-up, and Ashland Elementary finished third. (The elementary division does not have a state-level contest.)

The Governor’s Cup, which was founded in 1986 to promote classroom achievement, is Kentucky’s premier academic competition. A contest consists of five written assessment exams, on-demand writing, future problem-solving, and quick recall (quiz bowl). 

FCPS team standings

• Overall: 1. Meadowthorpe; 2. Rosa Parks; 3. Ashland; 5. Maxwell; 6. Liberty; 7. Dixie; 8. Wellington; 9. Clays Mill; 10. Cassidy. (Athens-Chilesburg also participated.)
• Future problem-solving: 1. Meadowthorpe; T2. Rosa Parks and Maxwell; 4. Wellington.
• Quick recall: 1. Ashland; 2. Meadowthorpe; 4. Rosa Parks.

Individual results

• Math: 1. Max Ederington, Ashland; 2. Derek Hollifield, Dixie; 3. Jason Chen, Rosa Parks; 4. Krishna Bhatraju, Meadowthorpe; 5. Sireesha Gutti, Ashland.
• Science: 1. Phoenix DuBravac, Ashland; 2. Camden Richardson, Rosa Parks; T3. Derek Hollifield, Dixie, and Ralph Bright, Meadowthorpe; 5. Milen Mikov, Wellington.
• Social studies: 1. Lance Hixson, Rosa Parks; 2. Logan Dievert, Wellington; 3. Riley Heasley, Clays Mill; 4. Charlie Naish, Rosa Parks; 5. Tre Wilson, Dixie.
• Language arts: 1. Bailey Zhu, Rosa Parks; T3. Lily Miles, Clays Mill, and Evan Covert, Liberty; 5. Evan Paden, Maxwell.
• Arts and humanities: 1. Halli Boyer, Meadowthorpe; 2. Mae Mobley, Meadowthorpe; 3. Dorottya Gal, Meadowthorpe; T5. Nathan Zhu, Rosa Parks.
• Composition: 1. Evan Covert, Liberty; 2. Evan Paden, Maxwell; 3. Olivia Sparks, Cassidy; 4. Ana Despa, Meadowthorpe.

Region 22 scores

Fayette County Public Schools produced three of the top five teams and five of the top 10 individuals in the state MATHCOUNTS competition March 12 in Lexington. Winburn Middle School’s William Ding, Dylan Li, Lohith Tummala, and Lynn Ye earned second-place team honors, while Tates Creek finished in fourth place, and Beaumont was fifth.

Winburn’s Lohith placed fourth overall among the more than 160 students representing 58 middle schools across the Commonwealth. He won a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to either the University of Kentucky or the University of Louisville. He also receives an expenses-paid trip to the MATHCOUNTS national competition May 7-10 in Washington D.C., where he will represent Kentucky. Dylan placed fifth among individuals at state, and William was ninth. Both won four-year $1,500 scholarships, along with David Vulakh of Tates Creek (sixth place) and Jason Wang of Beaumont (eighth).

MATHCOUNTS is a national coaching and competition program designed to develop and strengthen math, science, leadership, and teamwork skills. This is the 33^rd year for the program, which was founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers, CNA Insurance Co., and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. For questions about MATHCOUNTS in Fayette County Public Schools, contact coordinator Natalee Feese.

Fayette County Public Schools students turned in a strong showing at the 2016 Central Kentucky Regional Science and Engineering Fair, hosted by the University of Kentucky. In the high school division, Kyra Seevers of Paul Laurence Dunbar received top honors, classmates David Ma and Amy Wang were runners-up, and Brenna Wallin of Lafayette placed third overall. They are all invited to the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair, set for May 8-13 in Phoenix, Ariz. In the middle school field, Ayush Kumar of Winburn took overall top honors in the March 5 regional competition; and in the fourth-grade contest, Grayson Rice of Athens-Chilesburg Elementary earned the first-place award. 

Fourth-grade awards

• Animal Sciences: 1^st Jack Boyd, Rosa Parks; 2^nd Noah Tinch, Glendover;
• Behavioral & Social Sciences: 1^st Evan Riegert, SCAPA at Bluegrass;
• Biochemistry: 1^st Kiran Koul and Allie Kronenberg, Rosa Parks; 2^nd Natalie Butler, SCAPA;
• Chemistry: 1^st Rogers Kobes, Glendover; 2^nd Jack Patterson, Cassidy;
• Engineering/Materials Science: 1^st Grayson Rice, Athens-Chilesburg; 2^nd Colten Gayne, Liberty; 3^rd Elijah Greinke, Glendover; 4^th Isaiah Cruz, Sandersville;
• Earth & Environmental Sciences: 1^st Sawyer Scott, Cassidy; 2^nd Theo Swank, SCAPA;
• Medicine & Health Sciences: 2^nd Annie Arnold, Sandersville; 3^rd Avery Simmons, Dixie;
• Physics & Astronomy: 3^rd Matthew Donovan, Wellington;
• Plant Sciences: 1^st Samantha Miculinich, SCAPA; 3^rd Alex Stumbur, Ashland.
• Overall honors: 1^st place, Grayson Rice, Athens-Chilesburg; 2^nd Samantha Miculinich, SCAPA.

Middle school division (grades 5-8)

• Animal Sciences: 1^st Meena Ambati, Winburn;
• Behavioral & Social Sciences: 3^rd Jessica Rowell and Kate Messerli, Ashland;
• Chemistry: 1^st Varun Hariprasad, Meadowthorpe; 2^nd Philip Maxton, Winburn;
• Biomedical & Health Sciences: 1^st Evan Winkler, Morton; 2^nd Mohammad Rashad, Beaumont;
• Earth & Environmental Sciences: 1^st Khushi Borikar, Winburn; 3^rd Andrew Lewis, Bryan Station;
• Energy/Chemical: 1^st Wilson Spangler, SCAPA;
• Energy/Physical: 1^st Grace Goff, Beaumont; 2^nd Skyler Trowel, Leestown;
• Engineering Mechanics: 1^st Kayla Turney, Leestown; 3^rd Suhas Medam, Beaumont;
• Environmental Engineering: 1^st Lea Yiannikouris, Beaumont; 2^nd Emma Jinright, Beaumont; T3^rd London Kreide, Edythe J. Hayes;
• Materials Science: 2^nd Kylie Schmidt, Winburn;
• Mathematics: 1^st Jeffrey Shen, Winburn; 2^nd Sophia Humza, Morton;
• Microbiology: 1^st Frances Kilgore, Maxwell Elementary;
• Physics & Astronomy: T3^rd Mason Young, Morton, and Elliot Blanche, Glendover Elementary;
• Plant Sciences: 1^st Quincy Winkler, Morton; 2^nd Manya Tiwari, Beaumont; T3^rd Keenan Wilson, Morton;
• Robotics & Intelligent Machines: 1^st Melissa Hannemann, Winburn;
• Systems Software: 1^st Ayush Kumar, Winburn;
• Translational Medical Science: 1^st Lutece Dubravac, Winburn;
• Overall honors: 1^st place, Ayush Kumar, Winburn; 2^nd Evan Winkler, Morton.

High school division (all from Dunbar unless noted)

• Animal Sciences: 1^st Megan Slusarewicz; 2^nd Zarian Embry;
• Behavioral & Social Sciences; 1^st Emily Liu; 2^nd Zachary Ross;
• Biochemistry: 1^st Adil Yusuf; 2^nd Joanna Slusarewicz; 3^rd Annie Griffith;
• Biomedical & Health Sciences: 1^st Jasmine Liu; 2^nd Angela Vitchitbandha; 3^rd Francesca Macchiavello Cauvi;
• Cellular & Molecular Biology: 1^st Abigail Woolums; 2^nd Usman Hamid; 3^rd Connor Krolack;
• Chemistry: 1^st Amit Lohe; 2^nd Younjin Han;
• Computational Biology & Bioinformatics: 1^st Thomas Cheal;
• Earth & Environmental Sciences: 1^st Ashley Liu; 2^nd Ananth Miller-Murthy;
• Engineering Mechanics: 1^st Kyra Seevers; 2^nd Chase Vickery;
• Materials Science: 1^st Brenna Wallin, Lafayette; 2^nd Eric Cao; 3^rd David Seder;
• Physics & Astronomy: 1^st Ronit Kar; 2^nd Madeline Basehart;
• Plant Sciences: 1^st Ethen Shen; 2^nd Lucy Yang;
• Translational Medical Sciences: 1^st David Ma and Amy Wang; 3^rd Amina Anwar.

 Other recognitions

• Broadcom Masters awards: Meena Ambati, Winburn; Lutece DuBravac, Winburn; Grace Goff, Beaumont; Melissa Hannemann, Winburn; Ayush Kumar, Winburn; Jeffrey Shen, Winburn; Wilson Spangler, SCAPA; Kayla Turney, Leestown; Evan Winkler, Morton; Quincy Winkler, Morton; and Lea Yiannikouris, Beaumont.
• Naval Research Office awards: Isabella Squire, Leestown; Neha Kadambi, Dunbar; Gloria Ming, Dunbar; Hemanth Sontenam, Dunbar.
• National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration “Pulse of the Planet” award: Elizabeth Hightower, Glendover.
• American Psychological Association award: Emily Liu, Dunbar.
• ASM Materials Foundation award: Brenna Wallin, Lafayette
• Intel Excellence in Computer Science award: Amina Anwar, Dunbar.
• Mu Alpha Theta Award in Mathematics: Jeffrey Shen, Winburn
• Society for In Vitro Biology award: Jasmine Liu, Dunbar
• Stockholm Junior Water Prize: Lucy Yang, Dunbar; and Ananth Miller-Murthy, Dunbar.
• Yale Science & Engineering Award: Ronit Kar, Dunbar.
• Arizona State University Walton Sustainability Award: Ananth Miller-Murthy, Dunbar.

The March 5 regional competition was sponsored by UK, Kentucky American Water, and Fayette County Public Schools. For questions, contact UK’s Eddie DeMoll.  

Next up is the annual Kentucky Science and Engineering Fair, set for March 26 at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond. The top winners at state also qualify for the Intel ISEF later this spring.

Academic Challenge teams from Breckinridge, Rosa Parks, and Glendover elementaries will face off for the 2016 Superintendent’s Cup in the primary division, while older teams from Arlington, Veterans Park, and Tates Creek will compete for the intermediate trophy. The finals are March 22 in Norsworthy Auditorium at “It’s About Kids” Support Services. Students on the winning teams will receive college scholarship offers, along with individuals who topped the writing and math/science assessments.

Participating schools in FCPS were divided into three regions for scrimmages and preliminary contests. The regional tournaments were March 5, with the six winners advancing to the Superintendent’s Cup.   

Primary division regional results (grades 2-3)

Red region 

• Winner – Breckinridge: King Namegabe, Kassandra Shelby, Delmas Oakley, Christina Stokley, Samantha Stevens, Madison Waugh;
• Runner-up – Northern: Braxton Hensely, Tyler Giles, Kori Mayberry, Kalli Solomon, Michaela Lightsey;
• 3^rd place – Harrison: Jacob Strunkscott, Sam Valentine, DaKya Jackson, Patrick Reyes, Amira Spears, Jacob McDonald;
• 4^th place – Northern: ZaKari Bell, Addison Wright, Gabrielle Dobson, Isabella Wren, Camila Cortes.

 Blue region 

• Winner – Rosa Parks: Makayla Chambers-Reed, Anjala Karri, Avneesh Kudrimoti, Armeen Aftab, Maheen Khalid, Reagan Hammond;
• Runner-up – Meadowthorpe: Moahnishan Wignakum, Siddhi Viswanath, Snigdhi Rajamanuri, Emily Francis, Sohan Parsi;
• 3^rd place – Meadowthorpe: Ayden Webb, Siiri Ensmann, Josie Arcuri, Katie Bowden.

Green region

• Winner – Glendover: Mohammed Butrouna, Malak Alsharoofy, Becca Wills, Arabella Lee, Adaline Kariuai, Alexandra Smith;
• Runner-up – Tates Creek: Alex Staykov, Zoey Washington, Meredith Turner, Eli Pawlish, Kenzie Shellhammer, Andrue Turner;
• 3^rd place – Lansdowne: Wyatt Poynter, Colleen Riedmuller, Ian Spencer, Isabelle Dinh, Maddy Dinh;
• 4^th place – Tates Creek: Xander Witt, Augacy Meadows, Landon Hager, Nilchil Mohan, Yanna Jatta, Betheny Watson.

Intermediate division regional results (grades 4-5)

Red region 

• Winner – Arlington: Alex Halliday, Marisol Morales, Chaylon Robinson, Dalton Dobbs, Whitney Watson, Edwin Rodriquez;
• Runner-up – Arlington: Asiana Campbell, Corbin Hodge, Micah Brown, Makayla Sharp, Lizandro Montejo, Edgar Perez;
• 3^rd place – Cardinal Valley: Kayden Fiffe, Adwin Payeras, Daniel Rabadan, Angel Montiel, Emily Fabian, Carlos Garcia.

Blue region

• Winner – Veterans Park: Aaron Wilson, Max Kelsey, Zachary Rothrock, Matthew Kotter, Jennifer Zachman, Anika Diggikar;
• Runner-up – Liberty: Jamie Wright, Donovan Jenkins, Lily Miracle, Aidan Smith, Kathy Gutierez, Kirpa Parajuli;
• 3^rd place – Veterans Park: Will Darragh, Gabe Mattingly, Hudson Roberson, Alex Castle, Blake Christopher, Hanon Scoggins.

Green region 

• Winner – Tates Creek: Meher Saini, Kiefer Lin, Maggie Asbury, Daniel North, Kyle Harris;
• Runner-up – Tates Creek: Caleb Conway, Christain Turner, Maggie Qiu, Brit Stollard, Savanna Conway;
• 3^rd place – Tates Creek: Andrew Claxton, Noser Eqal, Elise Dix, Margaret Primm, Ayham Yousef.

The Academic Challenge program, which is sponsored by the Urban League (One Community, One Voice) and Fayette County Public Schools, aims to instill the importance of education and help close achievement gaps through a competitive tournament that children look forward to. Students receive trophies, medals, and certificates of excellence for participating, and the sponsoring colleges award scholarship offers in the finale. 

All students in grades 2-5 are welcome to compete; contact the elementary school’s coach to sign up for 2016-2017. For general information, email Ben VanderHorst, chairman of the organizing committee.

Junior Achievement of the Bluegrass selected a church youth director with a business background as the 2016 Volunteer of the Year for Fayette County, saluting her and others at the annual Adopt-A-School & Community Partners Breakfast Reception on March 17 at the Griffin Gate Marriott. Kelly Abraham, of First Presbyterian in Lexington, was nominated by SCAPA at Bluegrass teacher Mike Spaeth. 

“Kelly works with my seventh-grade group teaching the ‘Economics for Success’ program, but she also works with the sixth-grade ‘Global Marketplace’ program and volunteers with the elementary grades as well,” Spaeth said. “She is always very prepared, making sure to review lessons and prepare materials ahead of time, and makes sure to learn all of our students by name. She has a kind demeanor that students relate to, but also keeps everyone’s attention whether through activities or personal examples. Kelly teaches the material provided by Junior Achievement, but isn’t afraid to go off script if she feels she can add something meaningful to the lesson.” 

Junior Achievement educates young people about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship, and basic financial matters. In the Adopt-A-School program, companies provide student materials and volunteer training for a particular school. Additional partners back the financial literacy programs and JA curriculum. 

“JA gives me an opportunity to work with our community’s school-aged children from all different walks of life,” said Abraham, who studied accounting and international business and has her MBA. “I often run into the kids around town, and they wave and we exchange short conversations. When they introduce me to their parents, my hope is they know many people care for their children. Each time I teach a class, I am reminded that all of these children have the opportunity to make a difference in the world, and I want to make sure they know that.”

Abraham, who began volunteering with JA about 10 years ago, is teaching five classes this semester. Overall, she has logged close to 75 classes in grades K-7 at several schools, including SCAPA, Sandersville and Arlington elementaries, and coming up at Deep Springs Elementary in May. While Abraham has developed a rapport with students as a youth director, she draws on her previous background as well. “You’re running a small business (at church), marketing to youth, and fundraising, so I use my business skills quite a bit,” she noted. Abraham recommends other professionals offer community service through Junior Achievement. “It gives me a chance to teach students what goes on outside in the world and to make it meaningful,” she said. “If you like kids and you like business, go be part of the solution. That’s why I do what I do, and I encourage others to do the same.” 

JA board member Todd Sallee also praised a second Volunteer of the Year, Karen Cropper of Johnson Controls, who serves in Scott County schools; and the JA Teacher of the Year, Mary Beth Olds of Peaks Mill Elementary in Frankfort; and the group recognized its 2015-2016 community partners. FCPS Superintendent Manny Caulk thanked the organization and the business participants for their ongoing support, which has produced some 180 volunteers reaching 12,000 students in 50 schools throughout Fayette County this year. As Caulk said, “All of us believe in the importance of investing in our children.”

To get involved with Junior Achievement of the Bluegrass, contact officer manager Erin Warren at (859) 219-2423.

Organizers of the annual Innovations for Learning Conference (IFL) are ready to book presenters for this summer’s event, set for June 7 at Bryan Station High School. The free, one-day conference will offer 45-minute sessions and 20-minute mini-sessions. Do you know a classroom teacher who has had great success with a specific project or Web tool? Do you have strong examples of student work using technology? These topics could be ideal for IFL sessions. 

IFL promotes the use of technology and innovative instructional strategies that engage students to improve learning. Teachers, technology specialists (TRT/TIS), administrators, and anyone else with these interests are encouraged to attend. The conference is sponsored by Fayette County Public Schools, in partnership with the Central Kentucky Educational Cooperative and the University of Kentucky’s College of Education.  

The conference’s new website is www.fcps.net/ifl. The call for presenters closes April 11, and attendee registration opens April 18.

Fayette County Public Schools has scheduled this spring’s state testing dates, which must fall within the last 14 days of the school year. For elementary and middle schools, the five-day window is May 9–13, with make-up days marked for May 16, 18, 19 and 20. For high schools, the five-day testing window is May 11–13, May 16 and 18, with make-up dates marked for May 19, 20, 23 and 24. (Schools are closed Tuesday May 17 for Election Day.) Students enrolled in other academic programs will follow the middle or high school schedule, accordingly. 

Students in grades 3 through 8, 10 and 11 participate in K-PREP (Kentucky Performance Rating for Educational Progress), which is designed to measure how well they are learning the material that Kentucky requires in the areas of reading, math, science, social studies, and writing. Families are urged not to schedule routine doctor’s appointments or otherwise take youngsters out of school during the testing window. Students are also encouraged to get plenty of sleep and eat healthy breakfasts so they can give their best effort.

K-PREP is part of the “Unbridled Learning: College/Career Readiness for All” assessment and accountability system, which launched in 2011-2012. For more information, visit www.fcps.net/data.

Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes congratulated Henry Clay ninth-grader Theodore Ehrenborg and three other Kentucky high school students for winning her office’s 27^th annual essay contest. The teenagers were honored March 18 at Rupp Arena during the Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet Sixteen basketball tournament. “I am excited to recognize these students for this great achievement and for being engaged citizens,” Grimes said. “I know Kentucky is in good hands.”

Each grade-level winner received a $1,000 scholarship made possible by the Office of Secretary of State and its partners, KEA and KEA Retired, the University of Kentucky’s Scripps Howard First Amendment Center, the Kentucky Department of Education, and Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.

The essay contest was created in 1988 to inspire students to be active and informed citizens, with particular emphasis on election-related issues. This year, students were invited to write about the First Amendment and the role that news media play in elections. Entries were judged on research and understanding of voting and the First Amendment, idea development, organization, language, and correctness. UK’s Scripps Howard First Amendment Center judged the entries.

Two teams from SCAPA at Bluegrass earned first-place honors in the finals of the 2016 Lexus Eco Challenge, a national STEM contest for grades 6-12 built on environmental issues and practical solutions. The “Mighty Meat Minimizers” and the “No Drive-Thru Crew” were among eight winning teams receiving $15,000 prizes (four middle schools and four high schools). Of each team’s award, $3,000 goes to SCAPA, $2,000 to teacher/adviser Ashlie Arkwright for her classroom, and $10,000 in scholarships divided among the students.

The Mighty Meat Minimizers included Abigail Fister, Angie Xiao, Shannon James, Nolan Gunn, Jacqueline Mullins, Aedon Gunn, and Katherine Cherry. Concerned about the environmental impacts associated with meat consumption, they used social media to encourage SCAPA families and community residents to eat two or more meatless meals per week. They also spoke out on WTVQ, at Fayette County’s District Science Fair, and at the state Capitol. Additionally, this team published a printed version of their online meatless cookbook.

The No Drive-Thru Crew included Morgan Buckner, Vicky Chen, Helena Schatzki, Abigail Ratliff, Niki Maleki, Samantha Briggs, and Mary Beth Matocha. Their mission was to persuade people to forgo a restaurant’s drive-thru and instead park their cars and order inside, resulting in reduced carbon emissions and improved air quality. These students spread the word about their initiative through social media, WTVQ, and the District Science Fair, and partnered with Kentucky’s Division of Air Quality and South Carolina’s Bureau of Air Quality.

Earlier this semester, the two SCAPA groups and the “Let’s Go Batty” team from Tates Creek High School each won $10,000 and advanced to the 32-team final challenge.

This is the ninth year that SCAPA has participated in the Lexus Eco Challenge, with a total of 10 first-round winners. In 2014, the No Heat Ninjas also received a first-place award in the final round, and in 2012, the One Towel Wonders earned a national $30,000 grand prize. To date, the SCAPA teams have earned $168,000 for the student members and their school.

New principals have been selected at three Fayette County Public Schools. Superintendent Manny Caulk also cemented another key leader at the district office level with the hiring of a director of Data Management, Planning and Program Evaluation. “Our team keeps getting stronger,” Caulk said Monday. “Every school deserves a great leader, and I believe that we have four more transformational leaders joining our ranks.” 

Named on March 21:

• Grant Davis, principal of Clays Mill Elementary School;
• Paul Little, principal of Henry Clay High School;
• Stephanie Urbanek, principal at Meadowthorpe Elementary School; and
• William “Billy” Buchanan, director of Data Management, Planning and Program Evaluation.

Davis has more than 11 years of experience in the field of education. All of his work has been at Clays Mill, where he has served as a fifth-grade teacher, instructional coach, response to intervention coordinator, administrative dean, professional growth and effectiveness coach, and acting principal. Davis holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Kentucky, and a master’s degree in instructional leadership and an educational specialist’s degree from the University of the Cumberlands, where he also earned certification as a principal and superintendent.

“Grant Davis is a leader to watch,” said school director Jimmy Meadows, who oversees Clays Mill. “A student-centered and accomplished administrator, Grant possesses a vision that will take Clays Mill to another level in the area of student achievement.”

Little has more than 21 years of experience in education. He taught math, reading, social studies, health, and special education at Morton Middle, and business education at Tates Creek High. He was named assistant principal at Lexington Traditional Magnet School in 2004 and assistant principal at Henry Clay High School in 2005. Little holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Transylvania University, teacher’s certification from the University of Louisville, a master’s degree in education administration from the University of Kentucky, and certification as a superintendent and director of pupil personnel from Eastern Kentucky University.

“Paul Little will be a familiar face to the students, staff, and community members as he accepts the title of principal at Henry Clay High School. His years of service as the associate principal have prepared him well to assume his new role,” said school director Randy Peffer, who oversees Henry Clay. “Mr. Little possesses all the skills and attributes needed to lead Henry Clay and continue its tradition of being one of the premiere high schools in the state and nation.”

Urbanek has more than 12 years of experience in private schools, public schools, and higher education. She was a teacher and guidance specialist at Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary and a teacher and assistant principal at Saints Peter and Paul Regional Catholic School. In 2011, she became the response to intervention coach, behavior coach, and teacher at Meadowthorpe Elementary. Since 2013, she has been the professional growth and effectiveness coach at Breckinridge Elementary. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from the University of Kentucky, a bachelor’s in elementary education from Midway College, and a master’s in instructional leadership from Eastern Kentucky University. She also holds certification as a principal and superintendent.

“We’re so excited to have Stephanie joining the Meadowthorpe team,” said school director Heather Bell, who oversees Meadowthorpe Elementary. “Her unique leadership experiences make her perfectly suited for this new leadership opportunity.”

Buchanan will oversee the data team and will be a member of Caulk’s cabinet as director of Data Management, Planning and Program Evaluation. Currently a data scientist with the Minneapolis Public Schools, Buchanan has also served as a strategic data fellow with the Mississippi Department of Education, and a research associate with the Baker Evaluation Research Consulting Group. He holds a bachelor’s from the Berklee College of Music, a master’s in urban education policy from Brown University, and a master’s in teaching and instruction and a doctorate in K-12 educational leadership from Trident University International.

“Data will be a key leverage point for continuous improvement in our district,” Caulk said. “We had a national search that yielded an outstanding data person who brings experience at both the state and district level. Clearly, his skill sets, knowledge, expertise, and acumen are going to be an asset for the district.”

Buchanan, Davis, Little, and Urbanek will officially assume their duties on July 1, 2016.

Thursday May 26 will be the last day of classes in Fayette County Public Schools, as announced Monday night at the regular school board meeting. Marlene Helm, acting senior director of Academic Services, also released the schedule for the 2016 high school graduation ceremonies in Rupp Arena:

Thursday May 26

• 4 p.m. – Bryan Station High School
• 7 p.m. – Henry Clay High School

Friday May 27

• 1 p.m. – Lafayette High School
• 4 p.m. – Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
• 7 p.m. – Tates Creek High School

For more information, call the graduating senior’s school.

Each spring, FCPS waits until the threat of wintry weather is past and all make-up days are set before announcing graduation dates. State law requires school districts to make up every day missed so that the school year contains at least 170 days of teaching and learning and 1,062 instructional hours. There is no exception unless FCPS misses 20 consecutive days or a change is approved by the governor or General Assembly.

In 2015-2016, FCPS canceled classes four times: Jan. 20, 21, and 22, and Feb. 16.  The make-up dates were slated for March 18, April 8, May 25, and May 26.

Bookmark these handy shortcuts for future reference: www.fcps.net/calendars and www.fcps.net/weather. To offer feedback, please visit www.fcps.net/letstalk.

Winburn Middle School was overall runner-up in the state finals of the 2016 Governor’s Cup, which concluded March 19-21 in Louisville. Beaumont finished seventh in the middle grades division, and Tates Creek was ninth. Winburn also placed second in the quick recall contest and was fourth in future problem-solving. Beaumont tied for fifth in quick recall.

Individual results (middle grades division)

• Math: fifth, David Vulakh, Tates Creek; sixth, Mohammad Rashad, Beaumont; eighth, Jason Wang, Beaumont.
• Science: fourth, Egor Vinogradov, Tates Creek; sixth, Jason Wang, Beaumont.
• Social studies: ninth, Henry Blyth, Beaumont; 10^th, Aneesh Kadambi, Winburn.
• Arts and humanities: third, Nicole Wong, Winburn; 10^th Aneesh Kadambi, Winburn.
• Composition: fifth, Sophi Belcher, Tates Creek; seventh, Nicole Wong, Winburn.

In the high school division, Paul Laurence Dunbar placed fifth overall and Tates Creek was 12th. In the team contests, Tates Creek was runner-up in future problem-solving. Among individuals, Dunbar’s Joanna Slusarewicz placed second in composition, and Adil Yusuf was runner-up in science. Also in science, Dunbar’s Thirushan Wigna-Kumar placed fifth, and Zsombor Gal was sixth.

The Governor’s Cup, which was founded in 1986 to promote classroom achievement, is Kentucky’s premier academic competition. A contest consists of five written assessment exams, composition (on-demand writing), future problem-solving and quick recall (quiz bowl). The middle grades and high school divisions include district, regional, and state competition. Elementary students participate only in district and regional contests.

Complete details and students’ scores: www.kaac.com/results

Elementary school teams from Rosa Parks and Veterans Park capped the 2016 Academic Challenge season with victories in the Superintendent’s Cup. These students, along with individual winners in the math/science and writing assessments, received scholarship offers from several sponsoring colleges. “It’s incredible when you think about 1,300 elementary students participating this year. How impressive!” said Superintendent Manny Caulk, who praised the volunteers, coaches, and community supporters of this long-running program. “It’s an amazing opportunity to show our students the importance of learning at a high level,” he said.

The top primary and intermediate teams from the three regional tournaments squared off March 22 in the district’s Norsworthy Auditorium to field core-content questions in math, science, language arts, social studies, arts and humanities, and practical living. The teams with the most points after the final round were declared champions of their respective divisions.

PRIMARY (grades 2-3)

• First place and winners of scholarship offers from Eastern Kentucky University – Rosa Parks (14 of 18 possible points, blue region): Armeen Aftab, Kayla Chambers-Reed, Reagan Hammond, Anjala Karri, Maheen Khalid, and Avneesh Kudrimoti. 
• Second place, Glendover (12 points, green region): Malak Al Sharoofy, Mohammed Butrouna, Adaline Kariuki, Arabella Lee, Alexandra Cox Smith, and Becca Wills. 
• Third place, Breckinridge (7 points, red region): King Namegabe, Delmas Oakley, Kassandra Shelby-Lear, Samantha Stevens, Christina Stokley, and Madison Waugh.

INTERMEDIATE (grades 4-5)

• First place and winners of scholarship offers from Morehead State University – Veterans Park (16 points after a tiebreaker, blue region): Anika Diggikar, Max Kelsey, Matthew Kotter, Zachary Rothrock, Aaron Wilson, and Jennifer Zachman.
• Second place, Arlington (15 points, red region): Dalton Dobbs, Alex Halliday, Marisol Morales, Chaylon Robinson, Edwin Rodriguez, and Whitney Watson.
• Third place, Tates Creek (14 points, green region): Maggie Asbury, Naser Eqal, Kyle Harris, Kiefer Lin, Meher Saini, and Brit Stallard.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

The following scholarship recipients from each region were selected earlier and announced during the awards ceremony at “It’s About Kids” Support Services.

• Fifth-grade math/science winners, with University of Kentucky offers: Matthew Kotter, Veterans Park; John Huff, Athens-Chilesburg; Nayoung Kim, Julius Marks; Derek Hollifield, Dixie; Alex Halliday, Arlington; and Lorna Ashby, Northern.
• Fifth-grade writing winners, (offers pending): Olivia Sparks, Cassidy; Evan Covert, Liberty; Layan Hnoosh, Julius Marks; Christain Turner, Tates Creek; Ahnaf Ahmed, Harrison; and Destiny Eversole, Cardinal Valley.
• Fourth-grade writing winners, with Bluegrass Community & Technical College offers: Jonathan Callahan, Veterans Park; Emily Hall, Athens-Chilesburg; Hailee Russell, Dixie; Meher Saini, Tates Creek; Emily Fabian, Cardinal Valley; and Gabriella Cortes, Northern.

In a special recognition, Arlington and William Wells Brown elementaries received the Haymaker Foundation Team Award, which goes to schools with impressive participation levels. Each was presented a $1,000 check.

The Academic Challenge program, which is sponsored by the Urban League (One Community, One Voice) and Fayette County Public Schools, aims to instill the importance of education and help close achievement gaps through a competitive tournament that children look forward to. Students receive trophies, medals, and certificates of excellence, and the sponsoring colleges award scholarship offers in the final contest.

Schools participating in 2015-2016 were divided into three groups for scrimmages and preliminary competitions. The regional tournaments were March 5, with the six winners advancing to the Superintendent’s Cup.  

All students in grades 2-5 are welcome to compete; contact the elementary school’s Academic Challenge coordinator to sign up for 2016-2017. For general information, email Ben VanderHorst, chairman of the district’s organizing committee.

Leestown Middle School was Kentucky’s runner-up in the School Division of the Keep America Beautiful Recycle Bowl’s national competition. Cardinal Valley Elementary placed 15^th, and Ashland Elementary was 17^th in the state. In addition, Mary Todd Elementary was recognized nationally in the Community Division rankings. Last fall, Cardinal Valley and Wellington elementaries set the pace for Fayette County Public Schools in collecting and recycling the most aluminum cans per student. 

Altogether, students and teachers from more than 1,250 elementary, middle, and high schools recycled 4 million pounds of material in the 2015 nationwide contest, which ran Oct. 19 through Nov. 15. The goal is to ensure students know the importance of waste prevention and recycling. For more information, visit www.recycle-bowl.org.

Two sophomores from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School will represent the Commonwealth in Public Forum Debate at the National Speech & Debate Association’s national competition this June in Salt Lake City. David Ma and Sahar Mohammadzadeh qualified by virtue of their showing in the Kentucky District tournament March 18-19 at Centre College. Students competed in eight speech and four debate categories, with the top two entries in each event moving on to nationals. 

The National Speech & Debate Association (formerly the National Forensic League) is the country’s largest interscholastic speech and debate organization serving middle school, high school, and college students. For questions, contact Kentucky District chairman Steve Meadows in Danville.

In Destination Imagination state competition, the “not a rainy day” team of Fayette County freshmen tallied a 98.5 on their Instant Challenge – the highest score among all Kentucky and Ohio teams participating March 19. The group, guided by team managers Kelly Telech and Mona Azeem, included Paul Laurence Dunbar High School students Hannah Broomhall, Neal Rekhraj, and Adam Telechbush, and STEAM Academy students Brenden Talbert and Shamik Chandrachood. 

In the “Close Encounters” Team Challenge, the Fayette group had three minutes to prepare a skit that used a confined space, a newsflash, a mysterious stranger, and self-made props. “Tying all the elements together and performing a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end made for a magical four-minute performance,” Telech said. 

The two strong showings qualified “not a rainy day” for the Global Finals in Knoxville, Tenn., in May.   

Destination Imagination (DI) is a nonprofit, volunteer-led organization that aims to inspire and equip students to become the next generation of innovators. Each year, DI offers seven new standards-based team challenges in STEM, Improv, Visual Arts, Service Learning, and Early Learning. Each challenge enables students to experience the creative process from imagination to innovation. The Instant Challenges, which are a surprise on tournament day, call for students to think on their feet to find a solution quickly.

In this spring’s Region 7 archery tournament, Lafayette High School was runner-up in the field of 13 and qualified for the KHSAA state competition slated for April 21. Paul Laurence Dunbar finished fifth in Region 7, Henry Clay was sixth, Tates Creek was 10^th and Bryan Station 11^th. 

Among individual archers, Dunbar’s Chris Natale topped the boys’ high school group with a 297 score, and Korbin Jackson of Lafayette was second with a 293. The Generals’ Hunter Delong was eighth, and Ben Maddox placed ninth. On the girls’ side, Dunbar’s Victoria Sellers was runner-up in the high school field with a 290, and teammate Hannah Fitzpatrick was third with a 287. Lafayette’s Alyson Wade and Dunbar’s Ashley Liu tied for fifth place, Tates Creek’s Zoe Fister finished eighth, and Lafayette’s Helena Cybriwsky was ninth. 

• Complete results

Though the Kentucky High School Athletic Association added co-ed archery as a sports activity in 2013, the competitions are still coordinated by the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP). The Region 7 tournament was March 18-19 at host Tates Creek High School. For questions, contact Fayette County organizer Betty White.

Students in the veterinary assistant program at Locust Trace AgriScience Center have marked back-to-back years with a 100 percent pass rate on the national certification exam. Twenty-nine students took the test the week before Spring Break, and all are now NAVTA-approved (National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America).

This latest group includes Amanda Harris, Jessie Castillo, Aracely Marin, Audrey Noel, Joyia Burrus, Sarah Elliott, Sammantha Lumbi, Claire Campbell, Shapree Hightower, Shawndulynn James, John Gosper, Angel Black, Trey Paskovics, Daniel McCracken, Trevor Arvin, Corey Edwards, Kristian Lawson, Mary Crocetti, Michelle Meza, Kayla Collins, Domenique Callaway, Grace Kelly, Caroline Wright, Jordyn Jackson, Alli Rankin, Aisha Conwell, Maribeth Nichols, Braxton Minke, and Tasha McIntosh.

During the two-year, four-level program, these students learn about anatomy and physiology, radiology, surgical assisting, grooming, animal behavior, and laws and ethics. They also have to demonstrate a variety of skills such as restraint, hematology, parasitology, medical record keeping, pharmacology, and caring for hospitalized patients. The program is led by instructors Kathleen Magsam and Latissa Higgins. For questions, call (859) 381-3990.

The Rotary Club of Lexington invites top-performing high school seniors to apply for scholarships based on outstanding academic achievement, extracurricular activities, and community service. This year the club will present $1,000 apiece to at least eight students on the All Fayette County Academic Team and a $10,000 scholarship to the overall Rotary Scholar. 

The completed application and all supporting materials are due by 5 p.m. Monday April 11. 

• Application 

A select few applicants will be invited to interview with members of the scholarship committee. The winners will be congratulated April 28 at Fasig-Tipton. The Rotary Club has presented these awards for more than 55 years.