PADUCAH, KY (January 13, 2017) – Paducah School of Art and Design (PSAD) is pleased to present Legacy, an exhibition of works by and in tribute to past and present middle and high school art educators within the region. 

Legacy will open with a free reception January 19 from 5 – 7 p.m. in the Bill Ford Gallery located in PSAD’s 2D and Graphic Design Building in Lower Town. The exhibition, which is also free and open to the public, will be on display through February 23. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

“Our intent in organizing Legacy is to honor the contributions individual art teachers have made within their respective communities over the years”, says PSAD dean Paul Aho. “This exhibition shines a light on their work as artists and spotlights their role as mentors. Each of the participating artists and their regional peers who are not represented here, have been significant figures in the lives of many young people in western Kentucky.” 

Exhibiting artists include Ruth Baggett, Paducah Tilghman High School; Cindy Bazor, Massac County High School; Jinny Bittner, Ballard Memorial High School; Jennifer Bowles, Livingston County Middle School; Juanita Gilliam, Reidland High School (retired); Mitch Kimball, McCracken County High School; Lynn Pesoat, McCracken County High School; RAN (Miranda Meeks), Caldwell County Middle School; Craig Rhodes, Paducah Tilghman High School (retired); John Romang, Massac County Junior High School; Sandy Sasso, Calloway County High School (retired) and Shand Stamper, McCracken County High School.

The exhibition was co-curated by Lily Liu, PSAD’s community education and public programs coordinator, and Shane Ward, PSAD’s new sculptor instructor. 

The Legacy exhibition is complemented by Bright Futures, a selection of high school student works which will be on display in PSAD’s alcove galleries at the same time. Participating schools include Ballard Memorial High School, Community Christian Academy, Graves County High School, Livingston County High School, Massac County High School, McCracken County High School, Open Door Academy, Paducah Tilghman High School and Truitt Homeschool. 

PSAD, a division of West Kentucky Community and Technical College, offers an Associate in Fine Arts degree, as well as studio art classes for students of all levels and disciplines.  Classes are offered on WKCTC’s campus at 4810 Alben Barkley Drive, 905 Harrison Street and 919 Madison Street. 

For more information, call (270) 534-3901.

PADUCAH, KY (January 13, 2017) – Jill Westerfield, a December 2015 graduate of West Kentucky Community and Technical College, got some great news today about the next step in her education – a $5,000 scholarship to Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. 

“I am so excited about this opportunity. I didn’t expect to hear so soon,” said the 22-year-old Cologne, Germany, native who only applied for the SIU Dean’s Transfer Scholars scholarship last week. 

In fall 2013 Westerfield moved to Paducah with her father who teaches at WKCTC to attend Paducah School of Art and Design, where she earned an associate in fine arts degree and graduated with high distinction.  

Her 4.0 GPA is one of the reasons Westerfield was selected for the scholarship. 

“I know I applied for it, but I really didn’t expect to get it,” Westerfield said about the two-year academic transfer scholarship that will help her earn a bachelor’s degree in industrial design. “This is so awesome.”

Paducah, KY (January 19, 2016) – It’s not too late to register for spring classes at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. 

“With 116 late start classes, we have seats waiting for students who want to begin classes now,” said Nate Slaton, WKCTC vice president of enrollment. “We have classes that range in length from four weeks to 16 weeks and all places in between.” 

A full list of late start class offerings can be found on the college Web site athttps://secure.westkentucky.kctcs.edu/ScheduleSearch/Spring_LateStart.aspx. 

WKCTC offers more than 250 associate degree, diploma and certificate options with multiple career pathways in 48 academic and technical programs.

WKCTC online courses offer students the opportunity to pursue their educational goals at convenient times and locations. Students can enroll for classes anytime with the college’s Learn on Demand option, a modular format with flexible start dates. 

More information about WKCTC’s online learning opportunities can be found at http://westkentucky.kctcs.edu/en/Academics/Online.aspx. 

Students can visit westkentucky.kctcs.edu to submit a free admissions application by selecting the red APPLY NOW link at the top of the page. Students submitting an application online must still register for classes. 

Students can also come to campus to register for classes in the WKCTC Advising Center located in the Anderson Building, room 106. Advisors are available to help with the registration process, financial aid and assistance in creating an academic plan to help students reach their academic goals. Advising Center hours are Monday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Tuesday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. 

For more information call 1-(855) GO-WKCTC.

Paducah, Kentucky (January 23, 2017) – The public is invited to a free movie at Maiden Alley Cinema as part of West Kentucky Community and Technical College’s One Book Read of Little Princes by New York Times bestselling author Conor Grennan. 

Highway to Dhampus will play at the MAC February 9 at 7 p.m. The critically acclaimed film was released in 2014 and received numerous international awards including Best Feature Film, Madrid International Film Festival; Winner Best World Showcase, SOHO International Film Festival; International Platinum Award for Best Cinematography, International Film Competition Festival and others. 

The feature-length film was shot almost entirely in Nepal by an American crew and features many of Nepal's cultural highlights. When a rich socialite who is attempting to fix her image through charitable acts visits Laxmi, headmistress of a small orphanage in Nepal, a chain of events is set in motion that affects everyone involved. Ajit, the western-savvy bush pilot, Colt, the American photojournalist and chaperone, and even Elizabeth, the spoiled British heiress, all discover their own reasons to ultimately change for the better. The story raises questions about our motives, international philanthropy and the sometimes-unintended consequences when disparate worlds collide. 

“This movie fits perfectly into our One Book Read of Conor’s #1 international bestselling memoir,” said Amy Sullivan, One Book Committee co-chair. “With the book detailing his journey in Nepal to reconnect trafficked children with their families, which is the focus of his nonprofit organization Next Generation Nepal, we knew bringing Highway to Dhampus to Paducah was a great way to promote the country of Nepal and Conor’s visit in March.”   

This year’s One Book Read is funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Kentucky Arts Council. 

For more information about the free movie, visit http://westkentucky.kctcs.libguides.com/onebookread, click on the Little Princes 2016-17 tab.  

PADUCAH, KY (January 23, 2017) – West Kentucky Community and Technical College and Starfish Orphan Ministry are once again joining forces to host a fundraiser to help raise money for the upcoming WKCTC service learning project in El Salvador in March. 

This year’s event is a charity fundraiser called Share the Love – an auction set just before Valentine’s Day with great items for that special someone. 

Items include weekend getaways, fully planned parties, sports memorabilia, prom packages, custom-catered events, themed baskets, spa packages and more. 

The Share the Love Charity Auction will be held on February 11 at The Grand Lodge on Fifth located on 121 North Fifth Street in downtown Paducah. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Cocktail hour and silent auction begin at 7 p.m. and the live auction begins at 8 p.m. 

This is the fourth year a group of WKCTC students will spend their Spring Break in El Salvador for a service learning journey that includes working with orphans, special needs children and adults living in poverty.  

“Working with Starfish again this year to help raise money for our students’ El Salvador service learning trip continues to be a wonderful partnership,” said Jennifer Frazier, WKCTC advancement specialist and El Salvador service learning coordinator. “The students who have already had the opportunity to travel to El Salvador thanks to past WKCTC/Starfish events have said it was an experience they will never forget. That’s a tradition we want to continue.” 

A table sponsorship is $300 and includes eight event tickets, logo on table sign and listing in all promotional materials. Advanced tickets are $20 and $30 at the door. 

Starfish Orphan Ministry and WKCTC’s Hispanic Culture Club, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and Service Learning program are sponsoring the event. 

Starfish Orphan Ministry, a nonprofit organization with headquarters in Paducah, works to reach out to orphans in underdeveloped countries, individuals considering foster care and/or adoption and several local Paducah outreach programs for the needy, such as single mothers and individuals of spouse abuse.   

Contact Jennifer Frazier for more information, (270) 534-3229 or jennifer.frazier@kctcs.edu. 

WKCTC late start classes for spring are available now. Call 1-855-GO-WKCTC.

Paducah, KY (January 24, 2016) – Chevene Duncan-Herring of Paducah has been named the new diversity and inclusion director at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. 

Duncan-Herring is no stranger to WKCTC or diversity and inclusion principles. She has worked in many capacities in both areas at the college prior to accepting the new director’s position. 

Since being hired at the college in 2012, Duncan-Herring has served as program facilitator of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) Grant, through the US Department of Labor in partnership with the US Department of Education. Through the grant, Duncan-Herring worked closely with dislocated workers from Paducah and surrounding communities who enrolled at WKCTC. 

She has also been the director of the West Kentucky Identifying Needs Guiding Success (WINGS) and Governor's Minority Student College Preparation Program, with duties including the creation and implementation of comprehensive cultural diverse program within the college and community with minority and underrepresented middle school students. 

Holding a master’s degree in education from Nashville’s Trevecca Nazarene University and a bachelor’s degree in counseling psychology from Rochester College in Michigan, Duncan-Herring has also served as a success coach, education counselor and adjunct faculty member at WKCTC. 

“Now it’s time for a new chapter, and I’m excited about the opportunity,” said Duncan-Herring. “I look forward to increasing our campus and community cultural diversity and inclusion awareness; balancing (WKCTC students, employees and community members) self-awareness and community acceptance of others.” 

WKCTC late start classes for spring are available now. Visit westkentucky@kctcs.edu or call 1-855-GO-WKCTC.

• Introduction to design and bow making
•  Basic floral design step by step
•  Creating your own style
•  Making your own wreath