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Kentucky by Heart: Offering encouragement to my fellow Kentuckians in some areas that need attention


By Steve Flairty
NKyTribune Columnist

I’ve pretty much always been an encourager, one who strives to help others move forward in their lives. This tendency usually takes the form of words, or actions, to aid in resolving another person’s nagging problem(s). Or more boldly, my aim may be to facilitate another’s dreams. To diminish is not my nature; looking for the best in others is my goal. I know many of you feel likewise.

A career as a full-time teacher and recently as a substitute gave and gives ample opportunities to encourage. So does writing… which brings me to the point of this week’s column. Our state has some weak areas that need addressed, and as soon as possible.

I love my state, and here are some encouragements I’ll offer my fellow Kentuckians:

Steve’s favorite coffee mug (Photo provided)

• Please get vaccinated to fight COVID. The science is clear that the vaccinations work, meaning that lives—potentially many lives—can and likely have already been saved. Here’s a link, one of many that support the statement: www.cdc.gov. Good and decent Kentucky people, perhaps even ones I write about in this column or my books—along with their loved ones—can continue living fruitful existences by simply taking the Covid vaccine.

And though I get frustrated knowing that the current resurgence of cases and deaths are rising, yet preventable, may I refrain from being judgmental. Just get the vaccine, my friends. I want the people living in my favorite state, Kentucky, to be around longer and for all of us to collaborate to make our state become even better. That should be an encouraging thought for all, don’t you think?.

• Parents of school children, please send your kids to school ready to learn. After trending upward for years after the Kentucky Educational Reform Act (KERA), the state school system recently has shown signs of regression. That said, most of the teachers I ever rubbed shoulders with daily or met in other circumstances are competent and care for their students. For most, that’s why they are in the profession. But teachers’ effectiveness is helped immensely when parents support them by what they do at home as preparation.

Steve Flairty is a teacher, public speaker and an author of seven books: a biography of Kentucky Afield host Tim Farmer and six in the Kentucky’s Everyday Heroes series, including a kids’ version. Steve’s “Kentucky’s Everyday Heroes #5,” was released in 2019. Steve is a senior correspondent for Kentucky Monthly, a weekly NKyTribune columnist and a former member of the Kentucky Humanities Council Speakers Bureau. Contact him at sflairty2001@yahoo.com or visit his Facebook page, “Kentucky in Common: Word Sketches in Tribute.” (Steve’s photo by Connie McDonald)

So how does one send their child “ready to learn”? Allow me to encourage the following. Make sure children going to school have had plenty of rest (meaning sleep). The school day requires much focus and is quite long. When a student dozes off or lacks energy to perform tasks, a deficit begins to accumulate — much the same as when the student isn’t in attendance. Social functioning at school with peers and staff—extremely important—also suffers when a child is not alert and shows irritability and lack of patience

Make education a priority of your home culture. Allow your child to share school experiences and listen carefully to them. As much as possible, speak positively about teachers and note that their jobs can be difficult and sometimes they will make mistakes. Be aware of your kids’ homework assignments, but don’t help them more than is necessary. Make reading an everyday occurrence, even if only for fifteen minutes. Model it. Make frequent trips to the library, often with the idea of it being a fun activity rather than simply a “work” activity.

Allow me to encourage you to be encouraging to your children in the important process of educating. All win, now and going forward.

• Let’s all eat more vegetables and get active physically. In other words, our state needs to get healthier, and not just regarding Covid. Kentucky ranks low in the United States in health metrics. Kentucky Health Facts is a good resource, and it also gives information about specific communities. Encourage others to visit the site also.

Besides endangering ourselves and losing our loved ones too soon, not being healthy negatively affects our state’s economic productivity. Still known as an agrarian state, we grow a lot of healthy food. Let’s take advantage of this blessing. Additionally, our wonderful parks afford us lots of recreational opportunities, and hiking (one of my favorites) is a feature. Let’s eat reasonably and get moving. Our lives may depend on it.

To close, I’ll say sincerely that there’s no other place I want to be than Kentucky. There are so many good people who act nobly and are overcomers. We are blessed with many other resources, too, and I plan to continue shining light on such things. That said, let’s grow together into an even better place.


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