Scholarship Winners

At a May 2006 meeting of Southeast Kentucky Economic Development (SKED), held at The Center for Rural Development, Congressman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) alluded to southern Kentucky historically being called an "educational ghetto."

"Not any longer," the congressman said to a round of applause.

The support of area businesses is helping to improve the academic profile of students in the Lake Cumberland Valley. Acting under the auspices of The Jones Foundation, for instance, Somerset National Bank funded scholarships in 2006 totaling $3,000 that were awarded to six graduating seniors with plans to attend Somerset Community College. According to an article in The Somerset Commonwealth Journal (May 25, 2006), the students chosen for these Jones Foundation scholarships boasted a GPA of 3.79.

Winners at Pulaski County High School were Krista Bumgardner and Joshua Wheeler; at Southwestern High School, Jamie Hunter and Samantha Roots; at Somerset High School, Ashley Quillen and Ashton Floyd.

How did the Jones Scholars fare in their first semester at college?

Ashton Floyd, for example, graduated from Somerset High School in May 2006 with a Grade Point Average of 4.0. She completed her first semester at Somerset Community College in December 2006 with a Grade Point Average of 4.0. She plans to become a physical therapist.

The applause instigated by Congressman Rogers lingers in the offices of the Jones Foundation in Slate Branch, Kentucky. Representatives from business and industry are cordially invited to participate in the accolades by contacting Dr. Jones to discuss funding opportunities.

The Jones Foundation is in the process of preparing a feature article on all its scholarship winners. Jones Scholars have performed exceedingly well at colleges and universities across Kentucky. Kyle Curry, for instance, graduated with a major in Physics from Western Kentucky University and was hired in 2011 by his alma mater, Southwestern High School. Dr. Jones was so impressed with Kyle that she invited him to become a Trustee of The Jones Educational Foundation, Inc.