Teen focusing on heritage preservation

“I’m intrigued by the concept of eminent domain and the effects of government agencies, like the Tennessee Valley Authority, on rural communities,” said Settle, 18. “My dream is to be a sociology professor and study heritage preservation in rural-centered communities.”

Settle’s goal blends statistics and frank dialogue to also reduce tensions. “Our current age of extreme political polarization has led me to eke out gray areas for compromise on cultural and social issues,” she said.

“You have to look at statistics, studies and long-form interviews with people on each side,” she said. “I can talk to my family, who wish they were more justly compensated for their land and there were more preservation efforts. I can talk to the government side ... In heritage preservation, you have to individually look at cost and how it affects people every day.”

Settle is dual-credit enrolled at Murray State University Racer Academy. She plans to attend the University of Mississippi on a full-ride scholarship, double-majoring in sociology and public policy leadership while minoring in Southern studies. Later, she plans to do a master’s in sociology or public policy, then a doctorate.

Other regional issues have driven her. In 2020, the recurring Confederate statue debate reignited. NPR reported some 100 statues removed nationwide after the George Floyd protests.

Many again noticed a Confederate statue standing outside of the Calloway County Courthouse in Murray.

“That’s when I realized someone in my community could be deeply hurt and remember generational trauma,” Settle said. “It became my goal to find how to preserve rural Southern heritage in ways not harmful to other community members.”

“I began having conversations with people hurt by those statues being there. I’m motivated, as an empathetic person and by love for my hometown, to help residents of our community drive through town in peace and reflect on heritage in a way that doesn’t invoke generational trauma.”

Settle is president of the MHS Student Council and Speech and Debate Team.

Her Letters to Santa Project has honed composition skills for early elementary students. She later wants to host creative writing workshops in Murray and/or elsewhere.

At LBL, she likes “kayaking, sailing and hiking as much as I can.”

Settle, daughter of Crystal and Jeremy Settle of Murray, is the Murray State University Teen of the Week.

Each Tuesday, The Sun covers area high school seniors with notable achievements. After the school year, a selection committee will choose one of 32 students as the Teen of the Year. The honor comes with a $5,000 scholarship. A second student receives the Inspiration Award and a $1,000 scholarship.