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Winchester, Clark County honored for work with area youth

January 17, 2011|By Bob Flynn | The Winchester Sun

Bob Flynn/bflynn@winchestersun.com

Community and government leaders joined together with Clark County Community Education Program officials Monday to celebrate Winchester and Clark County’s selection as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People and some of the area’s youth for their community service projects.

America’s Promise was started in 1997 by former Secretary of State Colin Powell to recognize communities that were working together on behalf of youth in their communities to address issues affecting young people.

Clark County was one of five Kentucky communities to receive the honor out of more than 350 communities across the country that applied.

Colleen Wilber, vice president of media relations for America’s Promise Alliance, said Winchester and Clark County won for a myriad of reasons.

“America’s Promise is all about bringing together the different sectors to work on behalf of young people, and you are a living example of that through your community education program, through the Clark County schools and Chamber of Commerce in helping keep children in schools,” said Wilber. “You’re helping bring more caring adults into the lives of young people through your mentoring programs, and you’re looking to make sure they stay safe … you’re paying attention to young people who are impacted by substance abuse to insure they are back on track and insuring they have all they need to be successful.”

Wilber also cited the local Community Action Plan for setting goals and making promises to young people about what the community wants to do for them, then going back and making sure it is doing it, and if not, making changes to insure the plan is done.

Community Education Director Cora Heffner said the group wanted to use the time as more than a party, but instead, to honor some of the work being done by youth in the community and chose to do it on Martin Luther King Day.

“We chose this day because of the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” said Heffner. “One of my favorite quotes of Dr. King’s is, ‘The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically…. Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.’ And I believe that is what we are helping our youth to accomplish.”

Student groups recognized included:
— The Superintendent’s Student Council, for their work with the Change for Change Program.
— The Black Achievers, recognized for their work with the Change for Change program.
— The Agency for Substance Abuse Policy Youth Network, for their work with the Sticker Shock Project.
— First United Methodist Church Teen Fire youth group, for their work in raising money for Haiti relief work and other projects.

The Rev. Marvin King, pastor of First Baptist Church on Highland St., where the event was held, said the students recognized represented and embodied Dr. King’s spirit.

“These young people are going to be the people that carry on the dream and legacy, providing a unified community that embraces the values and commitment to unity and diversity and celebrating the differences that we all have,” King said. “We need to encourage them in every way possible to reach new heights and new depths of academic excellence and social change so that all of us can look back …. and say, this is indeed a wonderful place in which to raise young people because it provides them with the opportunity needed in order for them to succeed.”

This was the first time Winchester and Clark County had been honored by America’s Promise, but Wilber said she expected many more.

“This is your first win, but I don’t believe it will be your last. And I hope in the spirit of Dr. King, you will carry your message and your works forward to help other communities to do the good work you are doing,” said Wilber. “You really are an example for the nation.”

Contact Bob Flynn at bflynn@winchestersun.com.

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