Live United Impact Education Award Paducah Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Donald Shively received the Live United Impact Education Award. While ensuring that Paducah students receive the best education possible is a major part of Dr. Shively’s job, Burkeen says he has shown exceptional leadership in the area of education. Under his direction, Paducah Public Schools adopted a vision for the district with the intent of getting “to know each and every child by name and need.” Since this new vision was adopted, students who are college and career ready has increased from 59% to 82% district- wide. The district also boasts a 94% graduation rate. “Dr. Shively’s vision fundamentally changed the way the school district looked at each of their students,” Burkeen says. “Today, teachers are encouraged to assess the needs of each child in their classroom, to discover what they need to truly be successful. We have been impressed with Dr. Shively’s leadership and his willingness to take education in Paducah to the next level.” Other contributions Dr. Shively has made include finding creative ways to fund arts education in Paducah Public Schools, in spite of decreased funding. He has reintroduced orchestra in the district’s elementary and middle schools. He has enhanced middle school curriculum with more opportunities for students to learn foreign languages and computer coding. Perhaps one of his most notable accomplishments in the three years since Dr. Shively became superintendent is the development of the Innovation Hub at Paducah Tilghman High School, a project aided by a $4 million grant from the Kentucky Department of Education. This inspirational space gives students hands-on learning experiences in the areas of health services, engineering, coding, welding, carpentry and art. Live United Impact Poverty Darryl Pea of Four Rivers Nuclear Partnership was awarded the Live United Impact Poverty Award for his work with area youth. Darryl mentors young people, helping them find part-time jobs and teaching them the benefits of making responsible choices. He encourages them to participate in community runs to raise funds for the United Way and other charitable organizations. He is invested in the lives of young people, from their physical well-being to their emotional health. In addition to his work with students, Darryl also works with adults, teaching them how to make and follow a budget and other life skills. INTHEVUE.COM PROMOTING EVENTS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE JUNE 2018 67 “Darryl’s mentorship is helping to improve the quality of life for a number of families and individuals in Paducah and McCracken County,” Burkeen says. “His positive attitude and dedication to serving others is an inspiration to us all.” Live United Impact Health The Live United Impact Health Award was presented to Dr. Patrick Withrow, an individual recognized for his decades of service in the medical field. A retired cardiologist, Dr. Withrow now serves as the Director of Outreach at Baptist Health. His mission is to help people understand the root causes of health epidemics, so that, parents and residents can work together to find solutions to these problems. In 2010, Dr. Withrow launched a campaign to fight childhood obesity using an interactive presentation aimed to educate middle school students. In 2017, he continued his mission to serve by launching the “Adolescent Brain and Substance Abuse” campaign. His message on substance abuse and the effect that drugs and alcohol have on adolescent brain development has reached over 10,000 students in nine Kentucky counties. He continues to take this message to civic groups and churches throughout the region today. In addition to his rich legacy of service, Dr. Withrow recently partnered with the Kentucky State Police in the Angel Initiative, a program that seeks to fight the opioid epidemic. His work has inspired the launch of a future pilot program that will help assess middle school students who may be at risk for addiction. Other Awards Other awards presented at this year’s celebration included: Jayme Jones of McCracken County Public Schools with the Samuel S. Sloan Employee Campaign Coordinator of the Year award, Pro2Serve with the Largest Campaign Increase Award, Beltline Electric with the New Campaign of the Year Award, Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce with the LIVE UNITED Corporate Partnership award and Computer Services, Inc. with the Overall Campaign of the Year Award. The Ladd Mathis Award, the United Way’s most prestigious honor, went to Steve Powless of Computer Services, Inc. This year’s United Way Victory Celebration was hosted on April 26 at Walker Hall Event Center in Paducah. For more information on the United Way, go to www.unitedwaypaducah.org.
