WKCTC Education Express Tour Makes Fourth Stop in Marshall County
Paducah, KY (04/25/2025) — West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) continued its "Your Community, Your College, Your Future" Education Express tour with a fourth stop at the Marshall County Board of Education on April 24.
More than 35 students, parents and community leaders attended the event, which provided an opportunity to engage with WKCTC faculty and staff while discussing the importance of education in the region.
The Education Express tour is the vision of WKCTC President Anton Reece and aims to celebrate education while honoring local leaders, educators, students, businesses and nonprofit organizations across western Kentucky.
"From a regional perspective, it's important that we celebrate the power of education and it's tranformational elements," Reece said. "It's the second most important tool we have at our disposal, transforming lives."
During the event, WKCTC representatives highlighted the critical role of education in workforce development and regional economic growth.
Certificates of recognition were presented to Marshall County Schools Superintendent Bill Thorpe, Benton Mayor Rita Dotson and Marshall County Judge-Executive Kevin Spraggs.
"On a personal note, I have a child going to graduate college in three and a half years thanks to dual credit that she received during this time," Thorpe said. "If you do the math, that is several thousand dollars she is going to save the family."
Melissa Burgess, a resident of Marshall County and the WKCTC Tech Hub Facilitator, spoke on the importance of education. "We're not just educating students, we're strengthening families," Burgess said. "We're building the future workforce of our region, and we can't do that without partners like you."
The Education Express tour will continue this spring with the following stops:
April 29 - Ballard County High School Cafeteria, 3561 Paducah Road, Barlow (serving Ballard and Carlisle counties), 4-6 p.m.
May 1 - Murray/Calloway County Area Technology Center, 126 Robertson Road North, Murray, 4-6 p.m.
May 6 - Pontotoc Civic Center, 112 E. State Line St., Fulton (serving Fulton and Hickman counties), 4-6 p.m.
May 15 - Pope County High School Community Room, 125 State Highway 146 West, Golconda, Illinois, 4-6 p.m.
WKCTC encourages community members, educators, students and business leaders to attend and participate in ongoing conversations about the future of education in the region.
About WKCTC: West Kentucky Community and Technical College, a member of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, provides accessible, high-quality education and workforce training. WKCTC is committed to regional economic development and fostering individual and community success.
Media Contact: Whitney Walker Director of Marketing and Communications Cell: 270-519-3199 Email: whitney.walker@kctcs.edu
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