The Governor’s Minority Student College Preparation Program (GMSCPP) at Somerset Community College is designed to help minority middle school students in the Somerset and immediate surrounding county area prepare for and think about going to college.
The long-term goal is to increase postsecondary enrollment of traditionally underrepresented minority groups in Kentucky academic institutions.
The Somerset Community College GMSCPP program has been in existence for eight years. It involves a summer camp component, as well as monthly activities during the academic school year.
During the current academic school year, the GMSCPP students have participated in the following activities and events thus far: the August event consisted of a back-to-school trip to the Williamsburg Water Park; the September activity involved a trip to Eastern Kentucky University for a tour of the campus and attendance at an EKU football game; the October activities included a trip to the Wonderworks Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., for a full day of hands-on learning in the fields of science and technology; in November, the GMSCPP students participated in Operation Christmas Child at Beacon Hill Baptist Church; and in December, there was a Christmas reception held to recognize the students and their parents for their participation in the program this current academic year and to encourage the students.
“The SCC staff and faculty have been a consistent source of support, assistance and encouragement to our students and I sincerely thank you very much,” said George Martinez, coordinator of the SCC GMSCPP Program.
“In addition, the SCC Office of Cultural Diversity has provided ongoing mentorship, input and guidance to our program,” Martinez added.
“Past directors of the SCC GMSCPP Program, Terri Lynn Reynolds and Natalie Gibson, paved the way for the program to be a positive experience for the GMSCPP students and SCC college community as a whole. The collaboration from everyone has always been wonderful. This fall Xia Zhiming, an assistant professor in the SCC Business and Technology Division, accompanied the group on the trip to EKU and Dr. Roger Tate, an SCC professor and chair of the Social Sciences Division, attended the Christmas reception for the students,” Martinez said.
Middle school students currently participating in the SCC GMSCPP Program are Demitrius Peevy, Joey Hines, Katelyn Bess, Desire Napier, Micah Cunningham, Kelsie Whitson, Maria Martinez, Savaghn Alexander and Clorissa Covington.
If you would like to assist with the GMSCPP Program or if you know a middle school student who should be participating in the program, contact George Martinez at 606-451-6698.
“Always know that your positive involvement in the lives of young students will pay off and be beneficial to you as well. I thank all those who have been participating with the program all along and thank those who will participate with the program in the future,” Martinez said.
Somerset Community College is a comprehensive two-year institution of higher education. SCC has campuses in Somerset and London, centers in Clinton, McCreary, Casey, and Russell counties. The Web site is:
www.somerset.kctcs.edu
Call for admission and registration information toll free at 1-877-629-9722.
KCTCS serves the Commonwealth through 16 community and technical college districts that form a seamless system of 62 campuses open or under construction. KCTCS colleges change lives by providing accessible and affordable education and training through academic and technical associate degrees; diploma and certificate programs in occupational fields; pre-baccalaureate education; adult, continuing and developmental education; customized training for business and industry; and distance learning. For more information, visit:
www.kctcs.edu
Features
Related Photos
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The SCC GMSCPP middle school students helped with Operation Christmas Child at Beacon Hill Baptist Church in Somerset as their November activity. GMSCPP students are shown with Operation Christmas Child officials.
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Left, SCC GMSCPP middle school students tare pictured with SCC Assistant Professor Xia Zhiming during their EKU campus tour. Right, Middle school students and their parents met with. Dr. Roger Tate (left), and GMSCPP Director George Martinez.
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Pulaski County middle school student Joey Hines, who is a participant in the Somerset Community College GMSCPP college preparatory program, tried on a NASA space suit during a visit to the Wonderworks Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
SCC helps minority students prepare for college
Community News
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Newspaper veteran name Publisher of Commonwealth Journal
SOMERSET — A fourth generation newspaperman has been named publisher of the Commonwealth Journal.
Rob McCullough, 50, who started working in a newspaper mailroom when he was 15, officially assumes his duties today. He succeeds Jack McNeely who has accepted a position with the Daily Mountain Eagle in Jasper, Alabama.
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Daryl Brunner seeking a better life
Like many non-traditional students, Daryl Brunner enrolled in classes at Somerset Community College seeking a better life for himself and his family.
“I’ve built homes, worked in factories and done the blue collar thing,” Brunner said. “I realized you can only go so far in that line of work.” -
Avery Countryman is first baby of 2012
One local couple welcomed a new baby into their family —and the community welcomed the first birth of 2012 as well.
Jessica and Hunter Countryman were excited to welcome Avery Countryman, who was born at 1:47 a.m. on New Year’s Day at Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital. Avery weighed 5 lbs, 9 ounces.
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Hog Wild
Numbers of wild hogs are increasing in Kentucky and the untamed porkers have been aggravating farmers in the western part of Pulaski County for the past four or five years.
“I saw six last Sunday morning,” said Eugene Harness, speaking from Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital where he was recovering from surgery resulting from a fall at his barn on New Year’s Eve.
Harness, a cattle farmer who lives on Carter Ridge Road, has been dealing with wild hogs for a considerable time. He trapped four wild hogs last spring, and, under supervision of a conservation officer, killed and cleaned the animals.
“You’re not allowed to turn them loose,” said Harness. “You have to kill them ... Kentucky Fish and Wildlife doesn’t want them. We don’t want them. They are very destructive.”
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It's Official
Andy Stephens can now call himself the Southwestern head football coach without ‘interim’ being in front of it.
After being hired as the new Southwestern Warriors football coach yesterday, Stephens can now remove the ‘interim’ tag from his name.
“I'm excited for the opportunity,” began Stephens, who becomes only the second coach in Southwestern High School football program history. “I feel like we have a great program and a great school. Anytime you have that many positives around you I think you have an opportunity to be successful.”
Stephens, who spent ten seasons coaching at Casey County High School, led Southwestern to their best season in school history this past fall. Stephens took over the head coaching duties midway through the season after the sudden resignation of long-time coach Dale Anderson.
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is Gas Price Rollercoaster ready to roll?
We haven’t heard anything official yet, but Iran’s threat this week to block the Strait of Hormuz was an uncomfortable reminder of the early 1970s when an Arab boycott caused a nationwide gasoline shortage.
Even the possibility –– the U.S. Government initially declined comment –– a threat to shut off one-fifth of the world’s oil supply makes Big Oil nervous, and those folks calm their jitters by raising the price of oil. Oil topped $100 a barrel after the threat.
And, with that happening, before you can say “fill’er’up,” gasoline at the pump likely will jump in price. It goes up in generous increments, but the price comes down a stingy penny at the time.
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Recent media attention to Dakota Meyer, the Greensburg native who recently received the Medal of Honor, whetted Clarence Love’s memory of a royal homecoming in Somerset for Caption George E. “Ed” Kiser, one of the most decorated heroes of World War II.
“I was there at the homecoming celebration,” said Love. The retired Somerset city clerk has a copy of the October 12, 1942 Life magazine in which Life photographer Eugene Smith has complete photographic coverage of the event. -
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The young couple, both Pulaski County natives, are looking at Christmas with a new mindset — one brought about by a terrifying encounter with a wintertime danger that many people don’t even think about. -
SPD Officer Brooks Barleston honored
Somerset Police Officer Brooks Barleston was recognized recently for his part in DUI enforcement within the City of Somerset.
The Kentucky Governor’s Impaired Driving Enforcement Award is handed out each year to an officer from each Kentucky law enforcement agency that makes the highest number of DUI arrests. The awards ceremony was held this month at Embassy Suites Hotel in Lexington.
Officer Barleston has been with the police department since 2007 and serves in the patrol division.
The police department has made 229 DUI arrests so far in 2011.
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Somerset Refinery entering 80th year as Somerset icon
Despite changing names and management over the decades, Somerset's beleaguered Monticello Street crude oil refinery is most fondly known here as simply "Somerset Refinery."
The purchase of the refinery being announced to Commonwealth Journal readers in the accompanying article today marks another landmark in the history of the 80-year-old Somerset industrial icon. - More Features Headlines
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