The financial burden of postsecondary education will be a little lighter for a Magoffin County student, who is one of two students to receive the first scholarships awarded by the Kentucky School Boards Association’s First Degree College Scholarship Program.
Kelsey Rae Bentley, a senior at Magoffin County High School, received her $2,500 scholarship on Feb. 4 during KSBA’s annual conference in Louisville.
The scholarship program was created last year by the association’s Board of Directors to help students who will be the first in their immediate family to pursue postsecondary education. A total of 126 of the state’s 174 school boards submitted the names of 231 high school seniors for the award. Selection of two students – one male, one female – from that pool was made by blind draw at the Dec. 6 meeting of the KSBA board. The announcement of the names was not made until the conference presentation.
Bentley, who has played for the Magoffin County High school girls basketball team since fifth grade, has maintained a 4.57 weighted GPA , taking both honors and Advanced Placement classes. She will not only graduate with high honors, but will also be a certified nurse aide after completing her CNA classes at the Magoffin Career and Tech Center.
After high school, Bentley plans to attend Big Sandy Community and Technical College for two years and then transfer to Morehead State University, majoring in radiology or nursing.
Besides playing basketball, she is a member of Health Occupations Students of American, FFA and Educational Talent Search. Bentley is the daughter of Tim and Michelle Bentley of Salyersville.
The First Degree scholarships will be paid directly to any two- or four-year college or university upon receipt of a copy of a letter of acceptance to the selected students. The scholarship may be used at any accredited postsecondary institution, in state or out.
Financial support for the scholarships is being provided this year by the Kentucky School Plant Management Association, Towing and Recovery Association of Kentucky and Codell Construction.
The other 2012 KSBA First Degree Scholarship went to Dustin Tyler Adams, a senior at Paintsville High School.