From preschool classrooms to lifelong learning opportunities, it is evident that Hardin County has a wealth of educational opportunities. The Leadership Hardin County class of ‘21-22 was invested in the educational focus of their February session. From the parent perspective to continuing education for employees, each presentation created a sense of pride in the educational programs of Hardin County.
The day began and ended with presentations from Hardin County Schools. John Wright, Director of Public Relations, brought Lynnette Kennedy to kickstart the program. She is the district’s home/school/community liaison. She has a passion for helping people which was evident in her enthusiastic presentation about how she coordinates the prevention of homelessness in students utilizing a variety of community resources. Many were unaware of a warehouse of furniture and home goods where the district accepts donations to help these families get back on their feet. Anyone interested in donating to this can contact Lynnette directly.
After her presentation, Mr. Wright discussed the district’s successes through COVID-19 including community support and the promising test scores produced by kids this year which show that teachers are working diligently to help kids master content that they may have missed due to the pandemic. He also informed the group of the 38 (and growing) pathways available to make school purposeful for each student’s needs, as well as the Academy program from which 67 students graduated high school last year with an Associates degree at less than half the cost of a post secondary degree. The day ended with the group touring Hardin County Schools Early College and Career Center, named EC3 for short. The group was shown the projects students complete as part of their pathway courses as well as informed of industry certifications and community partnerships that allow students to learn on the job. Anyone looking for more information on the programs available in Hardin County Schools are welcome to reach out to the district.
The class then toured the Occupational Technical Building at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College (ECTC) with the Dean of Workforce Solutions and Technical Programs, Mike Hazzard. Class members were not only interested in some of the 8 week training programs to advance skills of their employees, but also voiced having participated in some themselves. The school has a variable pace Coding Academy that focuses on specific certifications and skills sets that can lead into high paying jobs with a short amount of training. Other programs included hydraulics classes, robotics, industrial maintenance, and much more. We witnessed the design process in a 3-D printing course where students were creating products that solved problems. The final visit was ECTCs Fire/Rescue Science Technology building. The resources at their disposal allow them to facilitate training for numerous fire stations in the area as well as community demonstrations and education. The on-site Culinary Program prepared a baked potato and salad bar with a large variety of toppings for the leadership participants for lunch.
After lunch information as well as a question and answer session was provided by Provost Darrin Powell. The segments flowed well as ECTC mentioned their partnerships with not only Hardin County Schools, but also Elizabethtown Independent in the form of numerous dual credit options that allow students smooth transition from either school system to the post secondary institution. The Elizabethtown Independent School system was presented by their Workforce Readiness Coordinator (and fellow Leadership class member), Derisa Hindle along with Jessica Turner. The two highlighted programs in their district from Panther Academy to their high school. They spoke of the roots of Panther Pride and Alumni support. The programs shared included reward systems, clubs, and partnerships. They have strong partnerships with not only ECTC, but Larue County Schools as well as a creative solution to offering more elective choices to their high school students. The presenters also spoke about changes in the district they have seen over time. They were excited about the increase in diversity and used this community outlet to note the misconceptions some have about the students in their district. They have seen an uptick in low income students as well and have adapted as their student body has changed. Finally, they were proud to mention athletic successes they have seen as a district.
The last piece came from the Central Kentucky Community Foundation (CKCF) with President/CEO Davette Swiney. This was a great way to end the day as she focused on the macro vision of education and non-traditional ways of educating the population. This created reflection for the leadership group in terms of what education can be and where we can improve as a community. The CKCF also provides scholarship opportunities for not only school needs but community needs as well. It was evident throughout the day that the leadership group was vested in this month’s program and we thank all of our education presenters for their time and the knowledge shared.
