The Owensboro Magazine 2009

EDUCATION Making the Grade By Julie Ellis wensboro Public Schools provide OPS students with outstanding educational opportunities, highly qualified teachers, excellent facilities, technical resources, a caring environment, and a wide range of opportunities to help ensure that every child is successful. International Baccalaureate students at Apollo High School sit in a circle, discussing economics during times of war in Jonathan Paff’s history class. Upon graduation these seniors will receive an IB diploma. The IB curriculum is internationally recognized for its rigorous course of studies and its emphasis on the philosophy of learning. Apollo is the only school in the area which has earned qualification to offer this program. O The quality of education OPS students receive has resulted in Owensboro High School being selected among the “Best High Schools 2008” by U.S. News and World Report; the district continuing to meet No Child Left Behind Adequate Yearly Progress Goals; CATS test scores continuing to climb; and Physics students Hannah Coffman and Andrew Webb work with team members to test Newton’s Second Law of Physics during a lab period in teacher Tony Dunn’s class at Owensboro High School. many other indicators of achievement. Routinely, Owensboro Public Schools produce National Merit Finalists, Governor’s Scholars, Regional Academic All-Stars, state MathCounts winners, Duke TIP program participants, AP Scholars, state music competition winners, academic team standouts, outstanding athletes, and a stellar drama program, just to mention a few areas of excellence. OPS students have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of academic and extracurricular activities. For example, as an OMS eighth grader Evan Miller advanced to the National MathCounts Team. As a result, he and teammates had the opportunity to visit with President Bush in the Oval Office last summer. In 2008, ten OMS students qualified for Duke TIP recognition. The Owensboro 5-6 Center Academic Team won the Regional Governor’s Cup. The Arts – music, drama, visual arts and dance – are a major focus of the Owensboro Public School District. The Fine and Performing Arts Festival, a five-night performance series showcasing more than 1,000 students annually, is in its tenth year. In 2008, the high school mixed chorus and chamber chorus as well as the band and orchestra competed at the Music in the Parks Festival in St. Louis and brought home first places and superior ratings in each of their divisions. Rose Curtain Players, the OHS drama troupe, traveled to Scotland to perform at the Inter- 14 OWENSBORO 2009

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Owensboro Magazine 2009

The Owensboro 2009 From our Chair Contents Buffalo Trace Brings History to Owensboro Environmental Education Blooms in the Garden Owensboro Arts and Cultural Events Making the Grade Building Opportunity In the Swim Economic Development through Placemaking Sister Cities brings International Benefits Embracing Innovation to spur Economic Development Creating a Pool of Skilled Workers Expanding Transportation Options One-Stop Business Licensing Robot Doctor Building a Locally-Based Food Economy Welcome to the Neighborhood Luxury Living on the River Moving In Trendy Excursions Evolves with the Times The Crème Brews Comfort Downtown Growing with the Community Family Business Boasts Longevity, Good Barbecue Entrepreneurial Spirit Comes Home Capturing the Broadway Market Ministering to Church Leaders Community at-a-Glance By the Numbers Dining & Catering Guide Advertiser Index

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.