Dr. Aris Cedeno

Twenty-eight outstanding Metro Louisville area high school students – all members of the 2011 class of Churchill Downs Governor’s Scholars (“CDGS”) – will be welcomed and honored at Churchill Downs, the famed home of the Kentucky Derby, during a reception at the track on Thursday, Nov. 17.

The students will be joined by their parents, family members and representatives of their respective schools in a reception at the historic track to celebrate their participation in the Churchill Downs Governor’s Scholars Program, which has funded participation in the overall Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program for nearly 300 students since it was launched in 2001.

The reception for this year’s class of Churchill Downs Governor’s Scholars is set for 11 a.m. (EST) in the Trophy Room on the fifth floor of the Churchill Downs Clubhouse.  The 2011 CDGS class members will be honored by dignitaries that include Kevin Flanery; president of Churchill Downs; Dr. Aris Cedeno, academic dean of the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars program; Rep. Darryl Owens, chairman of the Jefferson County legislative delegation, and other local lawmakers.

The overall Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program is funded by the Kentucky Legislature and corporate and private donors, but the Churchill Downs Governor’s Scholars initiative is unique in that it exclusively funds the participation in the overall program for students who have overcome personal adversity, illness and other life challenges to become high achievers in their personal lives and academic pursuits.  The Churchill Downs Governor’s Scholars program funds the participation of one student from each of the Kentucky legislative districts in Jefferson County, some of which extend into surrounding counties.

Established in 1983, the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program allows more than 1,000 participating high school students from across the Commonwealth to spend five weeks on a Kentucky college campus between their junior and senior years to take part in an intense program of hands-on academic studies, leadership building activities and co-curricular programs.

Students are selected to participate in the program free of charge. The mission of the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program is to enhance Kentucky's next generation of civic and economic leaders. The 2011 leadership programs were conducted on the campuses of Bellarmine University in Louisville, Danville’s Centre College and Murray State University. 

Churchill Downs will welcome outstanding Metro Louisville area high school students who are members of the 2009 Churchill Downs Governor’s Scholars initiative to the historic home of the Kentucky Derby on Wednesday, Nov. 4 with a reception at the track.
    
The students will be joined by their parents, family members and officials of their respective schools to celebrate their participation in the track’s Governor’s Scholars Program.  

The Churchill Downs initiative, which was launched in 2001, funds the participation in the overall Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program by students from Jefferson County and portions of surrounding counties who have overcome personal adversity and challenges to become high achievers in their personal lives and academic pursuits.  One student is chosen from each of Jefferson County’s legislative districts, some of which extend into surrounding counties, to benefit from the Churchill Downs Governor’s Scholars Program.

Those attending the Churchill Downs Governor’s Scholars reception will include Churchill Downs President Kevin Flanery and Dr. Aris Cedeno, academic dean of the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars program.

More than 200 Metro Louisville area high school students have participated in the Churchill Downs program since its inception.

Meanwhile, the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program, now in its 27th year, allows more than 1,000 participating students from across the Commonwealth to spend five weeks on a Kentucky college campus to take part in an intense program of hands-on academic studies, leadership building activities and co-curricular programs.

Students selected to participate in the program do so at no cost to the student. The mission of the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program is to enhance Kentucky's next generation of civic and economic leaders.

The leadership programs are conducted on the campuses of Bellarmine University in Louisville, Morehead State University and Centre College in Danville. 

MEDIA COVERAGE of the Churchill Downs Governor’s Scholars Reception is welcomed. The reception is scheduled for 11 a.m. ET in the Trophy Room on the 4th floor of the Clubhouse. Interested media should park in the Longfield lot and enter the facility through Gate 10.

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 1, 2010. The track will conduct its 2009 Fall Meet from Sunday, Nov. 1 through Saturday, Nov. 28. Churchill Downs is scheduled to host the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for a record seventh time on November 5 and 6, 2010. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

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Churchill Downs welcomed outstanding Metro Louisville area high school students who are members of the 2008 Churchill Downs Governor's Scholars initiative to the historic home of the Kentucky Derby with a reception at the track on Wednesday, Nov. 19.

Twenty-eight students from Metro Louisville high schools were joined by their parents, family members and officials of their respective schools in the Trophy Room in the Churchill Down clubhouse to celebrate their participation in the track's Governor's Scholars Program.

The Churchill Downs initiative, which was launched in 2001, funds the participation in the overall Kentucky Governor's Scholars Program by students from Jefferson County and portions of surrounding counties who have overcome personal adversity and challenges to become high achievers in their personal lives and academic pursuits. One student is chosen from each of Jefferson County's legislative districts, some of which extend into surrounding counties, to benefit from the Churchill Downs Governor's Scholars Program.

More than 200 Metro Louisville area high school students have participated in the Churchill Downs program since its inception.

"Churchill Downs is closely involved in many programs, organizations and causes in our community, but our continued investment in the Churchill Downs Governor's Scholars Program remains one of our best and most effective community relations efforts," said Steve Sexton, president of Churchill Downs and executive vice president of Churchill Downs Incorporated. "Each student who benefits from this program has overcome a significant challenge, or challenges, to excel in academics and in life outside the classroom. We are pleased to work with the members of our Jefferson County legislative delegation in helping these remarkable students benefit from this initiative and applaud the Kentucky legislature for its continued support for this special program."

The Kentucky Governor's Scholars Program, now in its 26th year, allows 1,150 participating students from across the Commonwealth to spend five weeks on a Kentucky college campus to take part in an intense program of hands-on academic studies, leadership building activities and co-curricular programs.

Students selected to participate in the program do so at no cost to the student. The mission of the Kentucky Governor's Scholars Program is to enhance Kentucky's next generation of civic and economic leaders.

The leadership programs are conducted on the campuses of Bellarmine University in Louisville, Morehead State University and Centre College in Danville.

Dr. Aris Cedeno, the academic dean of the Governor's Scholars Program and an associate professor of Spanish at the University of Louisville, said the latest data on the Kentucky Governor's Scholars program showed that 84 percent of the program's participating students have continued their educational careers at colleges and universities in Kentucky. The data, compiled in 2007, showed that those students received an average of more than $55,000 in scholarships for their four-year college careers.

"In these days of economic crisis, when everyone has to prioritize more than ever, Churchill Downs' support for the Governor's Scholars Program becomes a key factor to forward the program's mission of enhancing the intellectual potential of Kentucky's future leaders," said Cedeno. "Churchill Downs provides these outstanding students from Jefferson County with an opportunity to realize their dreams. In turn, Churchill Downs ensures the continuation of a program that for 25 years has demonstrated a commitment for developing bright young minds. It is making a wise investment in the future of Louisville and the state of Kentucky."