Students from Paducah Middle School, the Commonwealth Middle College and West Kentucky Community & Technical College got quite a show Friday. Magician Jason Bishop is a self-taught musician who grew up in an orphanage and in foster homes before performing on cruise lines and other venues across the nation. 

“You just need to pick something that you love,” Bishop told the audience. “And make a decision to work hard to make it happen. When someone gives you an opportunity you are prepared for, say yes.”

Teen includes life

experience in education

Hillary Bacon doesn’t make straight A’s, but she’s proud of the student she is. She’s learned to embrace her strengths and weaknesses. 

“I do believe I could be a 4.0 student if I devoted all my time to studying,” Bacon said. “But it’s not worth it to me to have a perfect grade-point average and not have anything else.”

“There are so many things that mean so much more to me than a number on a piece of paper.” 

Hillary Bacon, the daughter of Bryan and Leila Bacon, is the Mid-Continent University Teen of the Week. Each Monday, the Sun features a different MCU Teen of the Week selected from nominees who high school guidance counselors throughout western Kentucky and southern Illinois submit to the Sun. Mid-Continent University will provide each Teen of the Week with a $2,500 annual scholarship to its university, which is renewable for four years. In the spring, a Teen of the Year will be chosen from the weekly winners and will receive a full four-year scholarship to Mid-Continent University, currently valued at up to $55,000, or a cash reward of $2,500 paid through the Paducah Sun if the student selects another college to attend.

Schools brace for

additional funding cuts

Superintendents are balancing reduced state finances and their drive for strong academic programming while keeping an eye on Frankfort. 

Ballard County will lose 15 positions in the 2012-2013 school district. Graves County superintendent Pete Galloway said he doesn’t anticipate any layoffs, but it’s possible depending on the state’s budget. Both McCracken County and Paducah Independent public school systems don’t foresee layoffs or reductions in student programming because of a loss in money from the state, at least for this year.