Kentucky School Advocate
September 2022

KSBA staff report

KSBA is now accepting nominations for this year’s slate of association awards, scholarships and student grants. Districts have several opportunities to showcase people and programs that elevate Kentucky public schools. Some notable changes will make this year’s nominations faster and more accessible.

The 2022-23 KSBA awards season marks the first time that all nominations will be collected online. Following selections, honorees will be celebrated during a special luncheon during KSBA’s 2023 Annual Conference, Feb. 24-26 in Louisville.

“We have recognized award recipients at previous conferences, but we are raising the bar this year to better reflect the excellence of our honorees,” KSBA Executive Director Kerri Schelling said.

KSBA’s First Degree college scholarship program is expanding from four scholarships to five thanks to a generous gift from the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (OVEC). As a result, one of the five scholarships will be awarded to a high school senior from an OVEC member district.

For the second year, KSBA will also provide financial support to high school students pursuing career and technical education (CTE) certifications, but this year’s process is more streamlined.

“We learned a lot in our first year that will help us to improve the program moving forward,” KSBA Communications Director Josh Shoulta said. “We renamed the scholarships ‘CTE student grants,’ and each grant will now be worth $250.”

Last year, CTE monies were awarded to students in each of KSBA’s 12 regions to cover the cost of certification assessments. This year, however, awards can be applied to any costs associated with their career pathways; assessments, course materials or costs incurred in pursuit of certification. KSBA also removed criteria that immediate family members of CTE student grant nominees have not previously earned postsecondary degrees, expanding eligibility.

KSBA’s PEAK Award (Public Education Achieves in Kentucky) returns after a yearlong pause. First established in 1997, PEAK recognizes outstanding district programming that enhances student learning and promotes the positive impact of Kentucky’s public schools.

The association also aspires to match the excitement of last year’s inaugural School Board Member of the Year Award.

“As this award enters its second year, and as awareness grows, we anticipate the competition to be even stiffer,” Schelling said. “That’s saying something, given how deserving all of last year’s nominees were.”