Local teens are named 2008 Rogers Scholars

Local News

May 21, 2008

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Anonymous The Commonwealth Journal Wed May 21, 2008, 07:50 AM EDT

Kelsey Meece, Mikaela Surber, Katie Countryman and Brent Joplin, all of Somerset, are among 60 students selected to participate in The Center for Rural Development’s Rogers Scholars program. Kelsey, Katie and Brent are sophomores at Somerset High School. Mikaela is a sophomore at Pulaski County High School.

Rogers Scholars is a unique and exciting learning opportunity for a select group of juniors from 42 counties in southern and eastern Kentucky that was first envisioned by the program’s namesake, Congressman Hal Rogers, KY-05.

During each of the intensive, one-week sessions in June and July, 30 students will participate in hands-on learning in engineering, video production or information technology majors.

Scholars also take part in entrepreneurial training sessions and get the opportunity to interact via video-conference and in person with some of the nation’s most renowned speakers and business professionals.

During the week, scholars will be involved in exercises designed to build leadership and cooperative skills.

“There will be serious instruction, but it will be presented in a fun, exciting, learning environment,” says Lonnie Lawson, president and CEO of The Center. “Students will develop bonds and relationships they can carry throughout their lives.”

According to Lawson, one of the most exciting aspects of the program is the individual action plan. Brainstorming about the needs of their communities, scholars develop projects they take home and implement in their county. Previous successful projects include presenting a safety fair, beginning an entrepreneurial library and organizing drug-free post-prom activities.

“We want to teach the young people of southern and eastern Kentucky confidence and skills, as well as inspire a deeper commitment to their hometowns and this region,” explains Lawson.

Being chosen for Rogers Scholars involves a highly competitive process.

“An essay, community and extra-curricular involvement, grade point average and reference letters are all used in a blind scoring process that conceals the name, gender and county of the applicant allowing their achievements to rise to the top,” said Jessica Melton, associate director of education and training.

Kelsey is the daughter of David and Jill Meece; Mikaela is the daughter of Scott and Tina Surber; Katie is the daughter of Debbie Countryman; and Brent is the son of George and Nina Joplin.

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Pulaski carries Girdler to win

In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary election, it was impossible to miss the colorful signs dotting nearly every Pulaski roadway. The names in the race for the 15th State Senatorial District seat popped out: A.C. Donahue. Chris Girdler. Mark Polston.

Once citizens hit the ballots, however, the results mirrored the dimensions of the signs themselves: Chris Girdler stood the tallest.

Girdler, deputy district director for Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, ran away with the votes inside Pulaski County’s borders, earning 3,926 votes for 62.05 percent of the total number cast.

That number more than doubled the next highest vote-getter, businessman Mark Polston, who raked in 1,624 votes for 25.67 percent.

However, Polston — who owns Classic Carpet, a home-flooring business located just off the southern 914 bypass — can claim a moral victory ... three of them, in fact. In all three counties in the district other than Pulaski — those being Adair, Casey, and Russell Counties — Polston actually edged out Girdler.

In Adair, Polston beat Girdler 629 to 394. In Casey County, it was 538 to 417, and in Russell, it was 1,862 to 1,038.

Polston said he just “couldn’t pull it out with the numbers” and that “the machine worked for” Girdler in Pulaski County.

“I think that was their strategy — I think they had a Pulaski County strategy all along,” said Polston. “They played the political game well.”

Polston said the difference between his and Girdler’s campaigns was that “mine was a very, very grass roots campaign,” he said. “I did not have a political machine behind me. I understand how this process works, and in this instance, he prevailed.”

As for why Girdler didn’t take three of four counties, the winning candidate — since there are no Democrats in the race, winning the Republican primary was effectively a final victory for Girdler — said he didn’t have an answer for that.

However, “I believe things happen for a reason and I hope the long and strenuous campaign will only heighten my desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past,” said Girdler.

“Regionalism is a goal of mine, and I look forward to helping all four counties,” he added, noting that he campaigned heavily in each of them.

Sen. Vernie McGaha, the long-time state senator whose seat the candidates were vying for, actually supported Polston after Liberty’s Todd Hoskins dropped out of the race earlier this month.

Donahue, a local attorney, got 556 votes in Pulaski County, 8.79 percent of the vote. He only received 145 votes in Russell County, 74 in Adair County, and 75 in Casey County, where hometown candidate Hoskins almost matched him with 71 votes despite no longer being officially in the race.

Polston said he’s “still digesting” what happened, and though “the process has been a very good experience for me,” he wouldn’t commit to running again in the future. “I wouldn’t shut the door to anything, but I’m not opening any doors either.”

Still, “I think I got a lot of people involved in the process that had not been involved before and would not have been otherwise,” he said. “A lot of people got out and worked really hard, got motivated to talk to friends and neighbors. I think a lot of people became involved through this campaign that are going to be involved for a long time.”

Girdler stressed his “positive message” and said that Rogers is a “mentor and good friend” that he would turn to for advice in dealing with a frequently combative legislative body in Frankfort, one for which Girdler hopes to help change the culture.

Girdler said that he was “confident and optimistic” during the day Tuesday because he’d “worked extremely hard.” Nevertheless, the realization that he’d won gave him “chill bumps,” he said.

“I’m absolutely honored,” said Girdler. “The position of state senator is more than an honor, more than an office. It’s a charge to keep, and I will give it my all.

“I pledge to be the people’s state senator,” he added. “I look forward to working with everyone to move this region forward.”

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