Editorial: Education reduces underemployment

Gov. Fletcher appoints two to SCC Board of Directors

KCTCS Dental Hygiene/Assisting Program located at SCC offers dental services to public

TVA gives grant to HCC

Messenger-Inquirer
December 14, 2004

Editorial: Education reduces underemployment

Kentucky's unemployment rate in October was 4.7 percent -- well below the national average of 5.5 percent. And the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training reports that unemployment rates dropped in 101 of the state's 120 counties between October 2003 and October 2004.

It's underemployment, however, not unemployment, that keeps Kentucky firmly positioned at the bottom of the economic barrel. The state chamber's "Making It Work" study found that 74 occupational categories pay a median wage that keeps a family of four with one wage earner below the poverty line.

To put that in perspective, more than one of every four jobs in this state pays less than $18,104 a year. Even if both parents work a minimum wage job, that barely puts a family of four above the poverty line -- and in the vast majority of these cases, the families don't have health insurance.

"There is a serious shortage of jobs that pay wages and provide benefits that make it possible for workers to be economically self-sufficient," the chamber's study says.

The momentum in Frankfort for addressing Kentucky's economic weaknesses is clearly headed in the direction of changing tax policies -- and that's an important first step. Tax modernization, as proposed by Gov. Ernie Fletcher, would remove about 300,000 Kentuckians, who have annual incomes less than $12,000, from the tax rolls.

It would also go a long way toward creating a more "business friendly" environment that many economic and political leaders say is critical to attracting better-paying jobs and boosting per capita income.

But being business friendly isn't enough. Tax policies will mean little in the attraction and creation of decent paying jobs as long as Kentucky struggles to produce an educated and skilled work force.

This message has been repeated so often that it's starting to sound like a broken record, but repetition apparently isn't enough to bring about recognition among some state leaders. Despite the insistence by some to have no new taxes, Kentucky families and students trying to better their lives through higher education have seen significant increases in what they pay for college.

Tuition at state universities, on average, increased by 13.5 percent last year and by 16 percent at community and technical colleges. This is the direct result of the General Assembly's failure to adequately fund higher education to keep up with soaring enrollments, which essentially amounts to a tax increase on education. Also, percentage of general fund dollars allocated to elementary and secondary education has dropped from 48.2 percent in 1995 to 41.2 percent in 2003.

The decline is not lost on the state Chamber of Commerce, which says in its study, "a sustained commitment, as reflected in continued financial support, is critical if the state is to continue on its path toward progress and achieve its educational and economic improvement goals."

Talking about the importance of education only goes so far. The General Assembly should take the advice of state business leaders and meet its responsibility to provide proper funding for education. Until they do so, their pledges to bring more "good paying jobs" to Kentucky will remain empty promises.

Gov. Fletcher appoints two to SCC Board of Directors

Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher has appointed two new members to the Somerset Community College Board of Directors. The new members are Gary Upchurch, a Wayne County school administrator, and Eric L. Dicken, a teacher at Foothills Academy in Clinton County. The Governor made the appointments on Nov. 9, 2004. The new board members began their six-year term upon notification.

“We are indeed happy and grateful to Governor Fletcher for appointing these two fine educators to our board of directors,” said Dr. Jo Marshall, the President of Somerset Community College. “I look forward to working with them for the benefit of our students.”

Upchurch was born and raised in Wayne County. After serving two years in the U. S. Army, he returned to Monticello and established a business as a building contractor. He has been an educator for 27 years, first as a teacher and then as an administrator. He served for 14 years at various schools as a principal, and then was Athletic Director at Wayne County High School. Today, Upchurch is the Director of Curriculum and Instruction and the Director of Special Education for the Wayne County Board of Education.

In 2000, Upchurch was chosen by the Kentucky Department of Education’s Division of School Improvement to be a “Highly Skilled Educator.” Upchurch’s job was to “build capacity in low achieving schools across Kentucky.” He is a member of the Kentucky Leadership Academy and has served that organization as a trainer and as a member of the design team. Upchurch serves on the board of director of the 15-county Wilderness Road Special Education Cooperative. He is a Kentucky Principal’s Network mentor and a member of the Kentucky Association of School Administrators.

He is a past-president of the Monticello Lions Club and he attends church at Victory Christian Fellowship in Somerset.

Upchurch and his wife, Melanie Rena, have four children by previous marriages. Upchurch’s children are Kelli, 29, who is married to Jason Spenser, and Kris, 23, who is married to Joni. Melanie, a registered nurse, has two children: Craig, 29, and Carson, 27. The Upchurchs have four grandchildren and are expecting a fifth in February. They also own an adult daycare center located in Columbia. The Ole Homeplace Adult Day Health Care Center serves Adair, Russell and Taylor Counties.

“I’ve had an interest in serving on the SCC Board of Director’s for some time because I have a passion for education,” Upchurch said. “I feel that SCC is a key to progress in our area. This is my way of giving back to the community. I am committed to a vision of education and I desire to see our whole community work together to empower people by helping them to get the education they need. The continued success of SCC is critical to our communities.”

“I feel privileged and honored to have been appointed to this post,” he added. “I will give my best to uphold the strong traditions we have in our communities and our schools.”

Eric Dicken has worked for the Clinton County Board of Education for 18 years. For 13 years he was a guidance counselor. He has also served as a director of special education. He currently teaches Social Studies at Foothills Academy, a school for boys placed there by the Kentucky Department for Juvenile Justice.

Dicken and his wife, Kimberly Bledsoe Dicken, have two children: Leah, 16, and Haley, 5. For the past eight years, Dicken has been involved in real estate development along the Cumberland River. His first development is called Winfrey’s Landing.

Dicken served as the first chairman of the PRIDE program in Clinton County. PRIDE is a federally funded grant program to help with community cleanup and to improve water quality.

“I had heard that there might be an opening on the SCC Board of Directors and I was encouraged to apply by some of my friends,” Dicken said. “They thought that because of my background in education, I might be a good person for the board.”

“I want to do what I can to improve education opportunities in this community,” he continued. “I want to help Dr. Marshall achieve her vision for SCC. At the present time, I’m not sure my community realizes the fine asset the SCC Clinton Center represents for the future growth of our community. I want to help people understand the importance of this wonderful community college facility located right in our backyard.”

Dicken will replace Dr. Paula Little, an administrator with the Clinton County Board of Education, on the SCC board, while Upchurch will replace John Perkins, retired Somerset Postmaster and Somerset Restaurant owner.

"I am very thankful for the serve Paula and John have given to Somerset Community College through their service on our board of directors," Marshall said. "It has been an honor to serve with them and a pleasure to get to know them as friends and colleagues."

Somerset Commonwealth Journal
December 12, 2004

KCTCS Dental Hygiene/Assisting Program located at SCC offers dental services to public

The Big Sandy Community and Technical College (BSCTC) Dental Hygiene Program and the Central Kentucky Technical College (CKTC) Dental Assisting Program are located at the SCC Laurel Campus North. Both these dental career-training programs provide trained workers to area dentists and offer an inexpensive way for some people who need cleanings, x-rays, applying tooth sealants and bleaching for teeth, but cannot afford it.

“We provide these dental services to our College students and the general public in order to give our dental hygiene and dental assisting students the opportunity to practice the skills they have learned,” said Priscilla Strong, an SCC Dental Program Instructor. “For people on fixed incomes or those who don’t have dental insurance, it’s a great service and for area dentists we provide the educated employees they need. That’s the most important thing. We refer our customers to dentists in our area once we evaluate them. ”

The Clinic does not submit paperwork to insurance companies. They do provide the patient with a receipt and the patient can apply to the insurance company for a refund.

According to Strong, the SCC Dental Clinic will be open Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. beginning Jan. 12, 2005. Starting on Feb. 10, 2005, the Clinic will be open Wednesday through Friday. Although those providing these services are students, licensed hygienists, assistants and dentists supervise them.

In addition to Strong, the teaching staff at the Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting Programs at SCC include two licensed dentists: Dr. Eric Dixon, DMD, and Dr. Samantha Napier, DMD. The Dental Hygiene instructors are Linda Wilson and Renee Nicholson. Both are Registered Dental Hygienists. Dr. Jerry Tackett, DMD, is the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) coordinator for the program.

The Dental Hygiene/Dental Assisting Programs are located at the SCC Laurel Campus North. Both dental training programs at SCC are satellite locations for the programs based at BSCTC and CKTC.

The dental training programs offered by KCTCS began six years ago. Currently at the SCC satellite location, there are 18 students enrolled in the Dental Assisting Program, while four students are in their second year of training as Dental Hygienists and four more students are in their first year of training. The Dental Assisting Program takes one year to compete, while the Dental Hygienist Program takes two years.

Like all the Allied Health Care programs at Somerset Community College, both have selective enrollment procedures. That means students can register and take classes at SCC, but in order to be accepted into one of the Allied Health Programs, a student must apply and be accepted.

According to Strong, the job market for both Dental Hygienists and Dental Assistants is excellent. “I don’t know of any of our graduates who aren’t working,” she said. “I get calls all the time from dentists looking for hygienists and assistants.”

“The bottom line is,” said KCTCS Program Coordinator Dr. Jerry Tackett, “we are providing people who are educated in dental hygiene and dental assisting right here in South Central Kentucky. Students don’t have to go somewhere else to get trained and dentists don’t have to look elsewhere for qualified employees. It’s a real win-win situation.”

The SCC Dental Clinic does accept walk-in customers, however, they suggest making an appointment by calling (606) 877-1421, ext. 4250. If the SCC teaching staff finds any dental problems, they refer the patient to local dentists.

“We can even send the private dentist a set of the patients x-rays,” Strong explained.

A price chart for services available at the SCC Dental Clinic are provided in the chart provided.

Kentucky New Era
December 10, 2004

TVA gives grant to HCC

HOPKINSVILLE -- A $5,000 donation from the Tennessee Valley Authority Paradise Fossil Plant to Hopkinsville Community College will be used for faculty professional development.

Don Gaston, plant manager, made the check presentation to HCC President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Bonnie Rogers at a ceremony in the HCC Technology Center on Thursday afternoon.

Officials said the money will be used to develop for high-quality instruction, enhance classroom productivity and expand faculty capabilities.

"TVA likes working with the community college to help enhance instruction," Gaston said.

Gaston said his facility hires many of its workers from community colleges such as Hopkinsville and Madisonville.

"TVA is glad to be able to support the local community and strengthen our partnership with the Hopkinsville Community College," he said. "They (HCC) help supply our needs and we want to work with them through the community college."

TVA is the largest public power provider in the nation. It provides power to large industries and 158 power distributors that serve approximately 8.5 million consumers in seven southeastern states.