Rotary Program: 8/09/06

Program Chairperson: Seema Sachdeva

Speaker: Shellae Peters, Director of the Booth Scholars Program - Pikeville College

Shellae Peters was born at Kimper, Ky. and graduated from Johns Creek High School. She earned her B.S. degree in Chemistry and Biology from Pikeville College and went on to teach Chemistry, Biology, and Earth Science at Pike County Central High School for 8 years. Shellae also obtained her Masters Degree and a Rank I in Guidance and Counseling from Morehead State University. She and her husband, Jeff, have three children, Alexander, Kirklan, and Saraiah.

Shellae says that the history of the Booth Scholars program begins with Alex Booth, a man who made his fortune in the timber and mining business in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky, West Virginia, and Virginia. To find a way to give back to the community, he partnered with Pikeville College to help prepare promising high school students for the experiences they would need to be successful in college. The purpose of the program, then, is to prepare these scholars in the areas of academics, technology, culture, career choices, and social enrichment. First, applications are submitted by as many as 200 students from the Pike County and Buchanan County areas, consisting of their grade point averages, test scores, teacher referrals, and an essay about why they want to be in the program. A selection committee then ranks the applications and the top 30 are chosen for that year’s class. Next, an on-campus residential program is conducted in July, in which students attend academic classes, use technology, take cultural excursions, and explore their individual college and career choices. When the students resume their regular high school classes for that year, they are given a lap-top computer and other technological resources, assigned to a mentor, and receive regular counseling sessions to keep them on track with their studies. These students are followed closely all through their high school years until they make the successful entrance into the college of their choice. Interested students, who could benefit from this program, should get their applications in before October or they can contact Shellae at Pikeville College at 606-218-5760. The web address is www.booth.pc.edu/scholars.htm or email at bsp@pc.edu. Thanks, Shellae for the informative and interesting comments on a vital program for the youth of our area. - JMC

Upcoming program schedule:

Date: Program Chairperson: Speaker:

8/16/06 Donovan Blackburn................ Ky. Gov. Ernie Fletcher

8/23/06 Andrew Dinsmore................... Clive Raney - Director of Community Relations - Habitat International

8/30/06 Ron Damron...............................Pikeville College Football

9/06/06 Penny Stratton............................New Physicians - Pikeville Medical Center

9/13/06 Jim Brown..................................Joe Caldwell, Rotary District Governor

9/20/06 Sheila Boyd................................Shriner’s Hospital - Lexington, Ky.

9/27/06 Seema Sachdeva.........................March of Dimes