Stevens has played four sports and excelled in tennis as either first or second seed for seven years on a team that made regional champions this year. He has been a starter for four years and a captain for two on the soccer team, qualified for the state meet in cross country one year, and played basketball for three.
A National Merit Scholar, he will head to UK as a Singletary Scholar. Howerton will enter UK in the honors program as a Presidential Scholar.
Howerton wants to be a high school math teacher and knows this because of her experience tutoring at Lincoln County.
"I tutored students during the extended school services program and then I knew that I just really like teaching," she says.
Both were Governor's Scholars
Both she and Stevens were Governor's Scholars last summer and ended up together at Eastern Kentucky University for five weeks.
They also are active with their church youth groups and held various leadership roles at school. An accomplished pianist, Howerton was Lincoln County's Junior Miss last year.
Stevens makes no bones about really liking Howerton.
"I don't know what I would've done without her the last year. She's kept me organized, and she's always there to talk to me when I need it and gets me through it all," he says.
Howerton laughs but straightens up quickly. "I can't imagine my life without him," she says.
They're going on a mission trip to Guatemala together in June, then serving as counselors at 4-H Camp in July.
What do their parents think?
What do their parents think about it? Stevens says he and his folks haven't had time to think. His mom and dad, Mike and Jill, both have full-time jobs plus are tennis coaches.
Howerton says her mom, Connie, has been a little down about the fact that she won't see her daughter at school any longer. Her mom teaches at Lincoln County High School and is used to seeing her daughter daily, Howerton says. Her dad, Steve, is an extension agent in Lincoln County and couldn't be happier that she plans to attend college at his alma matter.
"But they're really happy that we're both going to UK and will be each other's support system," Howerton says.
