Thirty Rogers Explorers students from 10 counties pick up litter in Williamsburg

A group of talented students took a break from their classroom studies to serve the community by picking up 30 bags of trash and one tire along two miles of Williamsburg streets on June 6.
The students, who will be ninth-graders this fall, were from Bell, Breathitt, Jackson, Knox, Laurel, McCreary, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Wayne and Whitley Counties.
They were participants in the second of four classes this summer in The Center for Rural Development’s Rogers Explorers program. This class was held at the University of the Cumberlands from June 6 until June 8.
The Rogers Explorers program helps rising ninth-grade students who are interested in science, math and technology start the journey toward careers in those in-demand career fields. The tuition-free program is available to students in The Center’s 42-county primary service area.
Rogers Explorers spend three days and two nights on campus at some of Kentucky’s top colleges and universities, where experts guide them through hands-on assignments that develop creative thinking, teamwork and leadership skills.
For the Rogers Explorers at the University of the Cumberlands, picking up litter was a service project, which is part of the program’s goal of encouraging a long-term commitment to the students’ communities. To sponsor the cleanup event, The Center partnered with PRIDE, which is southern and eastern Kentucky’s environmental cleanup and education initiative.
The Center and PRIDE were created by Congressman Hal Rogers (KY-5) to assist communities with creating long-term opportunities for their young people. PRIDE’s role is to promote personal responsibility for the environment. The Center addresses several facets of community development, including enlightening Kentucky’s next generation of community and business leaders. The Center launched the Rogers Explorers program in 2006 as part of its youth development mission.
For more information about the Rogers Explorers program, please visit www.centertech.com or contact Delaney Stephens, Youth Programs Coordinator, at The Center. The PRIDE web site is www.kypride.org.