Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Mollie Watson with Gov. Steve Beshear outside the state capitol (Photo: Courtesy of TCMS)

A Lexington teenager shared the inaugural stage with Gov. Steve Beshear as winner of a statewide essay contest sponsored by the first lady.

Mollie Watson, an eighth-grader at Tates Creek Middle School, attended the Dec. 13 swearing-in ceremony in Frankfort with her parents, Ralph and Leslie Watson, and her language arts teacher, Sheila DeVary.

Mollie’s essay, “Moving Kentucky Forward,” focused on how education is the key to the Commonwealth’s success. As she wrote: “In a society where the future is all that we as people can depend on, children are immensely important. Education for those children is equally essential, and I believe school and general knowledge should be the most important factor in every child’s life. To move Kentucky forward to a better and brighter future as a 14-year-old, I can do my best to meet my own expectations.”

For the contest, students in grades 6-8 were invited to explore how they could take an active role in advancing the state. Each school could send one essay to the Kentucky Department of Education for judging.

A former teacher, first lady Jane Beshear partnered with KDE to engage middle school students in the history and traditions of the inauguration through the essay contest, “Kentucky Forward – I Can Help.” The theme complemented the overall inaugural theme, “Kentucky Tomorrow.”

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