Fall Break Reminder and Looking Ahead to Student Summer Opportunities
As we reach the final days of September, our students, teachers, and staff are preparing for a well-deserved stretch of rest.
I want to remind our families that Fall Break begins next week on Monday, September 28, and runs through Friday, October 2. Our last day of classes before the break is Friday, September 25, and all students and staff will return to school on Monday, October 5. I encourage our students to stay focused, keep their energy high, and give their best effort right up until the final bell rings this Friday afternoon.
While our immediate focus is finishing this week strong, as LC Superintendent, I am also keeping an eye on the bigger picture and the long-term future of our children.
It might seem early to talk about summer 2027 while we are gearing up for Fall Break, but early autumn is when applications open for some of the best student enrichment programs in Kentucky. While summer sports camps are popular, I want to highlight tuition-free academic, leadership, and career-focused opportunities. Many of these programs offer scholarships just for completing them.
Here are a few state and regional programs available to our Lawrence County students:
- Governor’s Scholars Program (GSP): A free, five-week summer campus experience for rising high school seniors focusing on leadership, academics, and service (gsp.ky.gov). GSP graduates frequently earn full-tuition scholarship offers from Kentucky colleges.
- Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA): A free, three-week summer program for high school sophomores and juniors in fields like visual arts, music, creative writing, drama, and dance (kentuckyperformingarts.org).
- Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs (GSE): A hands-on, three-week summer program for grades 9–11 focused on business development and creative problem-solving (kentuckygse.com).
- Medical & Healthcare Programs: Free regional programs through the University of Kentucky Area Health Education Center (ciche.uky.edu/ukaheccamps) and King’s Daughters in Ashland offer high schoolers hands-on experience in healthcare, nursing boot camps, and job shadowing.
- Regional Youth Leadership: Free programs run by The Center for Rural Development tailored specifically for Eastern Kentucky students, including Rogers Explorers (8th grade), Rogers Leads (high school), and Rogers Scholars (10th grade). https://www.centeryouthprograms.com/
This is just a starting point, not an exhaustive list. I encourage parents to talk with their children about these paths and reach out to our school counselors for help with applications and information about available programs. Sometimes, a child just needs a parent or teacher to point out a hidden strength and encourage them to apply and attend opportunities like this before they realize what they are capable of achieving.
Thank you for your continued support of Lawrence County Schools. I hope you and your family have a safe, restful Fall Break next week!
