The following are the second group of the 37 George Rogers Clark High School juniors that were recognized in the 2012 Central Kentucky Council on Youth Leadership Youth Salute.
Connor Blankenship
Connor is involved with many different organizations. He is a member of the Beta Club, Y-Club and EGO.
He has played on the varsity soccer team since his sophomore year as starting goal keeper and is team captain. He is a member of the Lexington Futbol Club.
He volunteers time at his church to teach a first grade religion class. Connor is undecided on his future college, but would like to pursue a degree in physical tracing or be involved in sports medicine.
Eden Bennett
Eden is active in many organizations. She is a member of the Beta Club, French Club, and jazz and symphonic bands at GRC. She also is an Ambassador Girl Scout and a regular camp counselor. With Girl Scouts, she has earned her Silver Award and is working toward her Gold Award. She regularly sponsors Christmas Angels for the GRC Family Resource Center and was a select performer for the Winchester Music Club.
Eden plans to study psychology at Transylvania University, pursue her PhD and become director of a specialized psychology clinic.
Emily Hisle
Emily is an active member of the Winchester First Church of God youth group and serves as a member of its leadership team. She also is a member of the Kentucky Church of God State Youth Council and Club and played two years on the GRC volleyball team. She served as captain of her Winchester Junior League softball team for three years. Emily enjoys attending youth functions, volunteering in nursery work at her church and playing the guitar. She also enjoys spending as much time with family and friends as possible.
Though undecided on which college to attend, Emily has known from an early age that she would like to pursue a career in elementary education and would like to teach in the Clark County Public Schools.
Emily Jackson
Emily is active in school and church. She is a youth leader in children’s worship and vacation Bible school.
She has been a varsity cheerleader for the past three years and is a member of TSA and served as vice president her sophomore year. She also is a member of Beta Club and National Honor Society. Emily was a staff writer for the school newspaper her sophomore year and is a features editor this year. She has volunteered with Shop With a Cop, Salvation Army, Cheer With the Champs and has been a YMCA cheerleading coach.
She is undecided in her college and career plans.
Quenton Humphrey
Quenton is a hard working student. He has maintained a 4.0 grade point average in his first two years of high school. He is devoted to his community and has helped in many benefit events for his church and community. Quenton is an active member of the Beta Club at GRC. He has been in the Winchester Little League Baseball organization for many years.
At this time, Quenton plans to go to the University of Kentucky and become an architectural engineer.
Genna Petrey
Genna is actively involved in her school and community. She is vice president of the GRC Book Club and co-vice president of the GRC Speech and Debate Team.
Genna loves music and is a member of the adult choir and bell choir at First Presbyterian Church, participates in school musicals and began piano and voice lessons this year. Her hobbies include horseback riding, reading, writing stories, singing and drawing.
Genna runs on the varsity track and cross country teams at GRC. She is also involved with the Beta Club and KYCID.
In her sophomore year, she was chosen to represent her school as a HOBY Ambassador. The past two summers, Genna has gone on week-long mission trips in Appalachia and helped organize the Winchester Soles4Souls 5K run. Genna expects to go into a pre-vet or pre-med program after graduating from high school, then plans to become either a doctor of veterinarian.
Haley Tye
Haley is very active in her school, church and community. She was honored to be presented the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Award. Haley is the secretary of the Clark County Youth Network for Alcohol Substance Abuse Policy (ASAP) and is sergeant-at-arms for the Technology Student Association. She also serves as a huddle leader and prayer warrior for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Haley also serves as features editor for the school newspaper, Smoke Signals, and is involved in sports on the varsity tennis team and is a junior varsity cheerleader.
Haley is a member of the Cardinal Hill Teen Board, Beta Club, Clark County Distinguished Young Woman and a 4-H public speaking competition champion. She also has studied piano for many years. She enjoys volunteering in her community for STRIDE events, Kiwanis Walk With a Child, Operation Happiness, CC’s Closet and as a YMCA youth cheerleading coach. She is an active member of Christview Christian Church where she is part of the youth group. Haley hopes to attend Transylvania University or Georgetown College and pursue a career in the medical field.
Nicholas Bailey
Nicholas has served as an officer in numerous organizations in his high school career. He is president of the Clark County Agency for Substance Abuse Program and an Advisory Leader on the Youth Service Center Council.
Nicholas is a member of the Beta Club, Clark County Teen Court, ASAP, Calvary Christian Church youth group, Youth Service Center Program and the varsity football team. His awards include Academic All-State and Distinguished Scholar in math and science. Nicholas enjoys playing guitar, piano, volunteering with the Jesus Prom and attending mission trips with Calvary Christian Church youth group.
He plans to attend Morehead State University and is currently exploring different career paths.
Hayley Thornberry
Hayley is very involved in her church and a variety of volunteer activities including Active Water, Embracing Global Obligations, Jesus Prom and Operation Happiness. She has also been very active in soccer playing on the junior varsity team as a freshman and on the varsity team for the past two years.
She also was a member of the GRC varsity swim team for two years. She was Miss Clark County Fair and has participated in the fair pageants for a number of years.
She spend a great deal of time working on her voice and singing for a variety of groups and events including the Calvary Christian Youth Praise Band, 4-H Talent Show, Pioneer Festival talent show and the benefit for St. Judes Children’s Hospital.
Hayley is planning to attent Northern Kentucky University and study music and pre-law.
Jansen Browning
Jansen is committed to developing his leadership skills through service to his school and community. He has been a member of student advisory and is involved in Beta Club and Kentucky Youth Association as well as a member of the varsity soccer, tennis and swim teams at GRC. He serves his community through the Macedonia Christian Church youth group and other service areas.
Jansen is an active member of Boy Scout Troop 56 where he as served in many leadership roles as an officer and is currently working on his Eagle Scout rank. Jansen’s Eagle Scout project is to assist the Winchester-Clark County Parks and Recreation in building a walking track at Lykins Park. The project will help with the fitness needs of many residents of Clark County.
Jansen would like to attent Eastern Kentucky University where he hopes to major in criminal justice with an emphasis on homeland security. He would like to serve his country in any of the investigative departments of government.
Joanna Guerrant
Joanna is a leader in many organization in her school, church and community. She is involved in her school as a three-year varsity cheerleader, varsity tennis and concert and symphonic bands.
She serves as vice president of the French Club, Cardinal Hill Teen Board, Beta Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Embracing Global Obligations, Kentucky United Nations Assembly and Kentucky Youth Association. Joanna is an active member of Calvary Christian Church youth group and participates in a cappella choir, drama team, teacher for five-year-old summer Sunday school class, and fourth-grade Sunday school and vacation Bible school. She also participates in Christ in Youth Group, Jesus Prom and construction of the Main Street Coffee House Ministry.
She volunteers in many places including Cardinal Hill Hospital, Salvation Army, Shop With a Cop, Cheer With the Champs, Putting on the Glitz, Walk With Friends, Clark County Homeless Coalition and Make Strides to End Breast Cancer.
Joanna’s future plans include pre-medical studies in biology with plans to attend medical school at the University of Kentucky specializing in orthopedic medicine.
Jordan Jacobsen
Jordan is involved in many activities. She is a member of the Beta Club and Christview Christian Church youth group. She is a member of the varsity golf and varsity swim teams. Besides her involvement in school, Jordan volunteered at the Catholic Action Center, Operation Happiness and KORT Physical Therapy. Jordan was recognized for maintaining a 4.0 GPA.
At this time she is undecided in her college and career plans.
Justin Carrus
Justin has had leadership roles in several organizations including Technology Student Association president his freshman year, president of the Student Technology Leadership Program and vice president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, member of the baseball and academic teams, and Beta Club. He also is very active in his church youth group, served as summer camp counselor and volunteered in several community projects. Justin plans to attend college and major in engineering and continue his education beyond a four year degree.
