Feature article

First lady encourages Crawford students

Article and pictures by Tammy Lane
March 14, 2008

  Kentucky first lady Jane Beshear , a former teacher, was the featured guest speaker at Crawford Middle School’s annual spring academic celebration.
  “Learning is a means to an end. Whatever you want to do for the rest of your life depends on what you’re doing right now,” she told students in the packed gymnasium Tuesday. “When you have taken tests and achieved well, you’re on the road to successful living.”
  Beshear, a graduate of Henry Clay High School, praised teachers for providing students with useful tools, including classroom instruction, homework and preparation for CATS.
  “These tests are there to help guide you … to find out if you’re being prepared well,” she told the Crawford crowd.
  Earlier, school and district officials welcomed Beshear on her arrival at Crawford, where students had signed and hung a colorful “Welcome First Lady” banner outside the main office.   “We approached her because of her background in education,” Principal Joyce Florence said beforehand.
   The March 18 celebration also included recognition of students who reached the “proficient” and “distinguished” benchmarks on 2007 state assessments, as well as encouragement for others to understand the goal is achievable in 2008.
  Beshear congratulated the youngsters who have done well on CATS. “Not only have you excelled in the subjects,” she said, “you’ve learned things that will carry on with you.”

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